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View Full Version : What's eating my heliconia, BOP, and Stuttgart canna?


southlatropical
03-18-2008, 12:34 PM
I do not believe leaf rollers are doing this. They never bothered the heliconia or BOP before and the damage appears different from what leaf rollers usually do. What all these plants have in common is that they are weak and just recovering from winter (Stuttgart was very small when winter arrived). The heliconia leaves are coming out already chewed up. It's not the usual row of holes like with a leaf roller. After the leaf pushes out it continues to deteriorate. I have not been able to spot the insects that are doing this. Any ideas??
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x68/ijewellk/DSCN2280.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x68/ijewellk/DSCN2277.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x68/ijewellk/DSCN2276.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x68/ijewellk/DSCN2279.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x68/ijewellk/DSCN2278.jpg

D_&_T
03-18-2008, 01:46 PM
We have trouble with bore or cut worms up here at times.

mskitty38583
03-18-2008, 03:15 PM
slugs and catapillers, it looks like

southlatropical
03-18-2008, 08:27 PM
Well I was going to put out some slug and snail killer anyway for my C. microspadix palms I just planted I guess I'll put it around these victims also. I think I still have some malatheon (that can't be spelled right) in the shed also. I'll look these critters up and see what works best on them. Thanks for the help.

southlatropical
03-18-2008, 09:17 PM
Ahhhh, I just read that Triazicide is effective on cut worms (which come out at night from below the soil). I dumped Triazicide all around the effected plants yesterday because I was already killing some fire ants. Hopfully that did the trick.

southlatropical
03-18-2008, 09:19 PM
I just read that Triazicide is effective on cut worms (which come out at night from below the soil). I dumped Triazicide all around the effected plants yesterday because I was already killing some fire ants. Hopfully that did the trick.

sandy0225
03-19-2008, 03:58 PM
Looks like slugs or caterpillars. Look and see if they have a shiny trail where slugs were there, or if they have caterpillars on them.

lorax
03-19-2008, 05:34 PM
The ones with the browned, chafed-looking spots are most probably slugs. The poor nanner looks like leaf-cutter bees or wasps got it, or catepillars. The damage isn't really typical of cutworms, so I'd be on the lookout for maybe cabbage moths or something.

Lilith
03-19-2008, 05:36 PM
Are you sure you don't have grasshoppers? They descend here and eat lots of stuff, really really FAST. Now you see it, now you don;t. And they are very good at hiding.

island cassie
03-19-2008, 08:35 PM
I agree that it looks like the work of several different insects/animals, but I would start with slug bait!

Cassie

STEELVIPER
03-19-2008, 08:43 PM
dig around the base of the plant. just below the surface. sometimes there can be brown caterpillars just below the surface. they come out at night and chomp. Also check the plants at night. get the flash light and catch the culprit/s.

lorax
03-20-2008, 11:50 PM
Those are cutworms.

For long-lasting slug protection, get some copper mesh and ring the plants. The slugs won't touch it.

mskitty38583
03-21-2008, 09:10 AM
thanks for that info, i was gonna do the grape juice thing, the mesh sounds better.:2760:

lorax
03-21-2008, 12:08 PM
If you've got a Lee Valley or Veritas in your area, they carry the copper mesh for much much cheaper than other garden stores.

southlatropical
03-22-2008, 09:40 AM
Thanks for the help everyone. I am going to try several things since I think this is more than one offender attacking the plants. Since I treated with Triazicide there has been no new damage. As for the slugs and snails, I have yet to go out and get some poison, but in the meantime I am putting copper wire (which I have lots of) and coffee grounds around the base of the plants. This was recomended over on the palmtalk.org forum for keeping them off the C. microspadix I just planted. Also suggested was putting out a saucer with beer in it which attracts and then traps the slugs/snails. I'm still trying to talk myself into giving the slugs my beer.

Dean W.
03-22-2008, 10:29 AM
southlatropical, good luck!

southlatropical
03-25-2008, 08:47 AM
I have a canary island date palm in a pot placed out in the garden. It sits on top of a round concrete stepping stone to ensure the pot drains well. I moved it yesterday and when I picked up the stepping stone low and behold there was a colony of slugs hanging out under it. They died in a violent massacre under a downpour from the salt shaker. :2726: