Great help, suggestions, and advice.

I’ll look up the odd bug. Based on your reply,
it appears that my pest is something like the tomato psyllid, but I’ll check it out.

Thanks again.

Frank

Carbaryl (Sevin) works well, I recommend you use the spray for best effectiveness instead of the dust. It is a non-selective insecticide this means it will destroy your beneficial bugs as well. Be aware of the withholding period after application. Read The Label

If you have the time the organic method of thumb and fore finger squashing them works well with persistence. It does not get the eggs though. In California a parasitic wasp, Trissolcus basalis, has been introduced to control the southern green stink bug. These and other predators attack stink bug eggs.

Keep cover weeds down where stink bugs can over winter. Of course you don’t have much control over your neighbor’s weeds.

The other insect you are referring:
If you could send a photo I may be able to better identify the red/yellow mosquito type bug.
If it is a leaf miner it would have more of a fly appearance with a yellow triangle between the base of the wings.
Or a tomato psyllid which resembles a miniature cicada.
Thrips are tiny about 1/16 inch yellow to brown. They can cause dimpling in the fruit by inserting their eggs and are carriers of the spotted wilt virus.

I think you should use organic measures as much as possible but when the populations of a pest get out of balance sometimes a chemical control is necessary to save your food crop. But be aware use of too many chemical can have a negative effect in the long run.

Phil The Gardener

Insect control in a tomato garden.

What do you recommend for insect control of the insects that look a lot like stink bugs (and also a little feisty red / yellow mosquito type bug) that have played havoc with my early tomatoes this year?

Your thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Frank