Blister beetles are from hell.
2 years in a row here, but I'm armed and ready!
Ok , At the 1st sight of them, wear crocs or whatever gardening shoes you like, because I have been blistered by them.
The way to eradicate them, is to wash off their exoskeleton and within the hour, they're all dead! But, beware, their babies or cousins or whatever they are will be back.
To wash off their exoskeleton, I mix
1 cup of regular strength, blue Dawn dish soap in a 5 gallon bucket of water (add soap after the bucket is full of water) Stir with a stick . Pour into a gallon, or 2 gal. Pump sprayer. Shut and pump it up.
Go spray every single beetle. This also works on Japanese beetles and aphids, but doesn't work on squash bugs.
If you have littles(children) , you can put some of your soapy solution into their water gun! Be sure they know to keep their shoes on and not to touch the beetles because the boogers secrete liquid onto their skin, I imagine their tender skin would blister worse than mine
Grandma says, when you make it fun, we'll get more done!
Like I said, be ready, cause it seems like once you are inundated with them, they come back in full force in a couple of weeks or so!
If you're into other options, you may be able to use an organic soap..? I've also read orange essential oil water removes their exoskeleton. And, I've read to use your first clear water rinse of wild mushrooms am, save that water and sprinkle plant leaves. It provides a barrier and doesn't let plants send out stress signal/ bad bugs don't like mushrooms..it's a Back to Eden/No Till thing, I've only read about, haven't tried it yet personally.
Hope this helps!
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