zillions itty bitty black bugs eating my plants!

[Laurasc]

Agh! I have 4 potted plants on my front steps. There's a wonderful assortment of flowers including pansies, black eyed Susans, multi coloured zennias as well as some other plants I have no clue what they are called. The pots are beautiful except that 3 of the 4 are infested with these little black bugs. Some of the leaves and petals are eaten and some leaves are starting to curl.

Are they apids?

I sprayed them this morning with a mild solution of warm water and Sunlight dishwashing soap but don't know if it will help any.

Can you tell me what it is and what I can do about it?

Thanks

[Serena]

Hi, The black bugs could be "blackflies" you need an insecticide which is safe to use on plants which might kill the bugs before they kill your plants. Try and get one which is used as a spray which might make it more effective

Serena

[Autumn Moon]

if you want to avoid the insecticide....
This is a little 'home remedy' that I use several times a year in my indoor and outdoor plants.
I have a 2 litre thermos that I use. I put in 15 REALLY cheap teabags (usually get them at the dollar store) and rapidly boiling water. Let steep for 1/2 hour. Take out the teabags. Cool COMPLETELY prior to pouring into your plants.
The other thing you can do (and you smokers will think...such a waste) purchase a small pack of tobacco. Take about 100 gms and do the same thing as with the tea bags. You can put it into your dirt if you want but most people I know strain it out.

Happy gardening!
Autumn

[Laurasc]

Well, the plants are going this weekend. I'm going to clean out the pots and put them away for the winter.

With that said, I never found out what the black spots were....but I did find out what was eating my plants. Earwigs.....LOTS OF THEM. Man! Those things give me the creeps! *omg* I discovered them when I was spraying them with a heavier than usual concentration of detergent and water. They literally leaped from the plants and I chased them in full search and destroy mode. I stomped them into a smear on the ground.

As pretty as those plants were...I think from now on when I set up container plants, I'll stick to geraniums and petunias. Those things went wild this year and NOTHING (not even my brown thumb) hurt them.

Thanks!