Hi, Betty: Sorry to hear! It sounds like these might be blue milkweed beetles, which always pose a tricky problem because hosts for them like milkweed and oleander, which you would want to eliminate if nearby, are also beneficial to monarch butterflies and others. The best thing to do is bite the bullet and try to physically remove as many as possible by plucking or even using a handheld battery-operated vac. Another option is an organic insecticide applied very specifically to aggregations of beetles where found. It’s important to try to do this before they lay their eggs, so alacrity is of the essence. Good luck!
Hi, Betty: Sorry to hear! It sounds like these might be blue milkweed beetles, which always pose a tricky problem because hosts for them like milkweed and oleander, which you would want to eliminate if nearby, are also beneficial to monarch butterflies and others. The best thing to do is bite the bullet and try to physically remove as many as possible by plucking or even using a handheld battery-operated vac. Another option is an organic insecticide applied very specifically to aggregations of beetles where found. It’s important to try to do this before they lay their eggs, so alacrity is of the essence. Good luck!