What is this new infestation on my sprouts?

[earlypea]

They weren't there last week now most of my brussells sprouts are crawling with them.

There are some big things which look like a similar kind of insect to a woodlouse but smaller and slimmer alongside hoards of tiny slimy black maggoty larvae - all nestling inside the first sprout leaves.

Also some similar tiny larvae but dark green and slimy, but less of them.

I can't find them in that Hessayon book - any suggestions?

Curious more than anything - still eating them.....  :-\

[earlypea]

[tim]

Ours are just thick with Aphid & Whitefly.

[Tee Gee]

Not sure what they can be a photo would help.

Is it these by any chance:



These are scale insects!

[earlypea]

Nothing like that at all Tee Gee the larvae(?) are much more worm shaped and coloured but wet/shiny. 

But thanks for trying!

I should have got a photo - will do next visit.

[BAK]

earlypea,

you could have a browse of David Kendall's excellent website ...

http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/

[shirlton]

I have just had to throw a big bag of ours away. Picked them this morning from the plot and when I put my glasses on to do them they were covered in tiny grey mite like insects. They had even got inside the sprouts. The whitefly that were on before could at least be washed off but not these. You are quite right earlypea they are just like miniature woodlice with anteni as well
This years sprouts were the best we have ever grown as well. have been spraying with soap all through the season against the whitefly. These have appeared in the last week

[Robert_Brenchley]

Sounds like a nice bit of free protein.

[liza095]

glad to know this info.

[earlypea]

These mysterious creatures vanished as quickly as they arrived - all gone by next picking, after frost.

[shirlton]

A kind member has informed us that the little critters were springtails.The warm weather has caused the problem. Hopefully when we look at ours the problem will be gone.Or they might have moved further into the sprout. They were already burrowing acoule of weeks ago

[earlypea]

Thanks Shirlton - they look more like it, after a google - although I can't see a piccy of the alien slimey eggs.  Hopefully then, that's them done for for next year.  I didn't know they ate vegetables and there were so many different ones.  Only heard of the tiny white ones that are in healthy soil.