It’s only just officially become spring and already I have these little bug(ger)s in my garden. They are green vegetable bugs, an import from somewhere else in the world. They are pretty looking things, starting off as little round black bugs with yellow spots (not unlike a large black ladybird) and in the adult stage are these smooth shield-shaped insects, which are pretty hard to spot on most foliage.
They suck the sap out of plants and cause general havoc. The best way to deal with them is to pick them off and squash them, which causes a stink! I am germinating some cleome seeds as a catch crop for them but they are nowhere near ready, so for now, digital control will have to do!
