Okay as some of you know me, this is my second year for the BF/hummer garden. Things are really slowly starting to come together now, some things blooming, others jut growing. My problem is I have holes in a lot of my plants that are not host plants. I cannot find anything on them but they are eating away at my plants. My Black and Blue Salvia, My bee balm, My annise Hyssop, even my morning glory leaves are getting eaten. Some things not getting eaten are my mint, My milkweed (thank goodness), my coneflowers, my Lantana. Butterfly bushes seem to be getting ignored also. Any ideas? I know this is the BF/hummingbird forum but these are the plants they are eating. I really had high hopes for my bee balm this year as it did not bloom last year and I am afraid they will eat it to the ground.
Also on my milkweed I have been finding a few spiders (look like those crab spiders but don't know if we get those here) and some gray bugs that when I thump them they fly off. Of course the aphids but those are easily rid of. I don't want to have any cas or BF's bothered by these bugs but don't have a clue what the gray bugs are. Sorry don't have pics as I am at work writing this.
Thanks for anyone who can help.
Leslie
Something eating all butterfly and hummingbird plants. HELP!
I am not familar with bugs in your area, but my B&B salvia gets eaten by asiatic beetles. I would suggest going outside with a flash light an checking you plants at night. Since you haven't seen the culprits, that is probably when most damage is done, and you might be able to catch them in the act. I know if it's beetles like I have, they will be attracted to the light, so they'll probably fly right at you.
I am having the same problem...and for me it is grasshoppers. They are stripping my hibiscus and rose bushes, as well as chomping anything that has a bud on it and my rudbeckia leaves. I am thinking of looking for a place to buy diatomaceous earth as it is supposed to help with these.
Most of my tender plants that get nibbled on lately have been due to snails or the awful web worms. They are not back in force yet, but I see the beginning signs.
Great idea about checking for beetles at night. Thanks.
I know it is not grasshoppers as I have not seen them.
However, I have seen slugs around so that might be a possibility.
Thanks everyone so much.
Those little grey things that you thump and they fly away could be leaf hoppers and I am having an awful time with them right now. I am down in Austin.
Annie
The leaf hoppers are more of a problem this year. They have an eye on each side of their head, no wonder they move to the back of the stem when you try to get them.
So these leaf hoppers are not what I would call grasshoppers? Because they are big. But what you guys describe as leaf hoppers sound like what I have. I have also seen several different looking spiders I have never seen before. They are now eating my pineapple sage. My poor bee balm is trying to bloom even though it has hardly any leaves. It is pitiful.
Thanks guys.
Only in Texas can we have a horrible drought and an infestation of bugs at the same time with temps in the 100s. Ah, paradise....