I went out into my shadehouse this morning and I was shocked to see damage on 2 of my 2 year old Epi plants.
Here is what I saw!!!!
Sandy
WARNING, DANGER, WARNING!!!!!!!!
And here is another view
This is what I found after I felt around, in color it matched the soil. I have not gotten and Id yet but will post when I do
Thats good to know...I've been finding epis that look like that lately also.
Run your fingers around in the soil. The caterpillars maybe buried under the surface.
I think the 2 will survive but that will put their blooming back a year or two. Darn it.
Sandy
HI Sandy,
You have "cutworms" ! We have several species of these in Australia (probably different to yours, but related) Here is a good general reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutworm , and here is a link to Australia's most famous cutworm, the Bogong Moth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogong_moth. The Bogong Moths LOVE our new Parliament House building and rest there in swarms every year during their annual migration - some say it noticeably increases the intelligence of our government while they are in town!
They are mainly nocturnal feeders, so you can usually find them by checking your plants at night with a torch and picking them off by hand. Birds love them, and they are non-poisonous so they are eaten by most insectivorous creatures. That is probably why they have evolved this underground life style.
Ciao, KK.
Oh Sandy, I feel bad for you. I found the same thing few years ago.
KK, thanks for yuor information.
KK thank you.
Sunshinesw thank you
I feed it to the wild birds. LOL
Sandy
Yep, Cutworms! http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=cutworms&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=8NwSStSwHoSi8QSygLGGBA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title
I found one in my screened pool area a couple of weeks ago ... threw it in the pool so it could go for a swim. ^_^
More info on these creepy crawlies: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/M1225.html
After seeing photo's of damage I now realize that is what ate an E. oxypetalum that was sitting out under a tree in the backyard, as well as completely devouring a geranium sitting under the same tree!
Hummmmmmm - I have read that if you wrap the bottom of tomato plants with foil (a couple of inches wide) that cutworms won't cross it. Surely this would work on Epis or any other plant.
Thanks for the web sites
I feed mine to the birds.
The problem with the foil is I have over 230 epis, 3 Easter cactus and over 30 Christmas cactus. And a couple of cactus out there. I think I am a little to lazy to wrap all those. LOL
Sandy