Harlequin bugs, eating my collards

harlequin_

bug

I tried to ID this bug with a few of the bug identifier sites that ask you color(s), how many legs, etc.  Unfortunately I came up empty.  Luckily, when I did a Google image search for "orange and black spotted bug", I found the link above, and some others, all pointing t other harlequin bug.  

Are they having bug sex on my collards? Also, you can see the damage they caused to the leaves on top right corner of the picture.  

I remember seeing them last year and I have actually seen them this year for the past month or two at least.  For the past few weeks they seem to be multiplying.  Actually, they are definitely multiplying, because when picking the collards this weekend, I saw dozens of tiny little guys in the act of hatching on the leaves.

The picture below shows the eggs, and an even more significantly damaged leaf.   You can see how this leaf is whitish compared to the normal looking leaf behind it.  

Anyway, I harvested a huge amount of leaves (half of a kitchen garbage bag) yesterday.  They are in the fridge now, waiting to be blanched and frozen tonight.

For control, I bought this stuff today.  It is OMRI listed, which means it complies with USDA organic standards.

Here is a cool site that actually talks about the harlequin bug and how it causes this whiteness on collards.

http://www.ipmcenters.org/cropprofiles/docs/scleafygreens.pdf

Here are a few more pictures of the damage and of the bugs: