Operation: Mexican Bean Beetle

Meet the mexican bean beetle. He's a relative of the oh-so-pretty ladybugs that have taken lodge on my monster cilantro plant. However, this beetle is nowhere near as nice as the ladybugs. This mexican bean beetle and lots of his little friends {that look just like him} were having a party in my garden--munching away on the leaves of my lima beans, kidney beans, and black beans.

I like parties, I really do. But this one was out of control. So I'm happy to report that I knocked the guest list down by about 100 this morning. :) My organic methods (weapons) of choice...

Bowl of soapy water, chopsticks, and my trusty fingers. I simply guided them one by one onto my hand, then tossed them in the soapy water. They swim for a few seconds... then they sink. Mission accomplished. ;) Some of them put up a good fight. The chopsticks came in handy when they fell to the earth below the bean plants. I couldn't get them to crawl on my finger, but they would latch right on to the chopstick and into the "pool" they would go. Funeral services for those mexican bean beetles pictured here will be held in the field behind our house.