My neighbor had no idea what these were when she found them on her kale last week, and thank God I told her before it was too late. At first glance, you might think you’ve discovered some rare, beautiful nature art. They look like tiny black gears, miniature flowers, or even little “Manala” patterns perfectly arranged on the underside of a leaf.
But don’t let the geometry fool you. If you see these, you are looking at the beginning of a garden takeover.
What Are These Mysterious “Gears”?
These are the eggs of the Stink Bug (often the Harlequin Bug or the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug). They are notorious for laying their eggs in these precise, tight clusters. Depending on the specific species, they can be black, bright green, or even white with “googly eye” markings.
