The striped beetle that stripped my chowrai bhaji!
“Simple works. Smart lasts. Sustainable grows.”
Have you ever planted a lovely patch of chowrai bhaji, only to find that something has been eating its way through your hard work? 😩
I have!
A couple years ago, I had a patch of chowrai bhaji (Amaranthus dubius) that attracted an abundance of these striped beetles. The damage was severe. They stripped the leaves, leaving little more than the framework of veins behind!
Take a good look at my photo. There's our suspect, caught right on the scene. 😂
🐞 Friend or foe?
Definitely a pest worth investigating! The beetle was feeding on my bhaji, but its exact species still needs confirmation. Several striped beetles look alike, so let's not jump to conclusions.
I've also spotted similar-looking beetles on my bodi and cucumber plants. Some related beetles feed on several crops, so it's worth checking your other plants, too.
🌱 What can you do?
1. Keep an eye on your plants.
Check regularly for beetles and fresh feeding damage. Don't wait until your leaves look like skeletons!
2. Try the bucket trick — if you have a small patch.
These beetles are fast! If you disturb the plant, some may drop. Hold a container of soapy water beneath the foliage and gently tap the plant to catch any that fall.
Now, let me be honest: this method is really only practical if you have a few plants. If you've planted 40 bhaji plants, you're hardly going to spend the whole morning chasing beetles with a bucket! 😂
For a larger patch, you'll need a more practical approach, especially if the infestation is severe.
3. What about neem?
Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Agriculture has included a homemade neem-seed preparation in its Pest Control for Home Gardeners guide. The guide describes soaking 50 g of crushed neem seed in 1 litre of water for 12–24 hours.
However, that is general home-garden guidance, not proof that this particular preparation will control our unidentified beetle. If you choose a neem-based product, follow its label for the crop, pest and harvest interval. Test a small area first and protect pollinators.
4. Don't overlook garden hygiene.
Remove badly damaged or dying plant material where appropriate and keep the growing area tidy. This is sensible garden practice, although we shouldn't assume that removing debris alone will eliminate this beetle.
🌿 Have you met this garden pest?
Have you seen these striped beetles on your bhaji, bodi, cucumber or other crops? How bad was the damage?
Tell me in the comments. If you have a photo, I'd love to see it!
Got a garden question? Drop it in the comments — I might feature it next! 🌱
Keep growing — your garden (and your confidence) will follow.
Stay grounded!
Grey hair, green thumb and proud of my roots
Here in St James, these stripped beetles or perhaps a species thst closely resembles them are the bane of pakchoy and other members of the cabbage family. I use neem based products, yellow sticky traps and diatomaceous earth early in the growing period and if attacked closer to harvest time, I just eat my 'wholely' pakchoy.
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