One day while picking purple string beans out in Field 2 I spotted trouble. I saw a healthy crop of beans being attacked by the Mexican Bean Beetle. In one week's time it went from no noticeable damage to significant damage. Epilachna varivestis adults had left visible evidence of their damage. The adults are oval, yellowish brown beetles with 16 black spots on wing covers (like a ladybug). The larvae are fat, yellowish orange tiny grubs with long, branching spines. The eggs are yellow ovals, laid on the underside of the leaves. In large numbers, they can defoliate a plant. Adults overwinter in nearby leaf litter and begin laying eggs in the spring. Rotating crops can help, but planting an early season of bush beans is your best bet to avoid severe infestation. Handpicking the larvae and adults, using row cover, planting trap crops to lure them away, and attracting native predators and parasites will also lessen the degree of damage. Coming soon to a newsletter near you...the squash bug.