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El Dorado Hills, California

I've repeatedly gone out into my patch only to discover holes eaten in the leaves of my precious little babies. Not a bug has been in sight around them, but this has continued to happen little by little. Although today, I did see a little green flying thing on a leaf. No more than like a milimeter or two big. Any suggestions on how to keep the suckers off... and solve the hole problem? Pictures are in my grower diary.

5/31/2004 11:48:50 PM

California Bay Area

did it look like a lady bug??

6/1/2004 12:22:28 AM

El Dorado Hills, California

No... I don't know how to explain it. But it was light green and kind of jumpy. It could fly but it seemed to almost skip across the leaf.

6/1/2004 12:27:38 AM

The bugs you are describing sound like aphids, but aphids don't do damage like that. They suck the juice out of tender growth, causing it to shrivel, get crinkly, and eventually die. The holes in your leaves are cause by something else, not those tiny green things you saw. Even if they aren't aphids, they couldn't eat that much in one night.

6/1/2004 1:32:46 AM

Wichita, KS

I'm only a couple of miles away from you and i have the same problem. I think that some of the damage i have is just slugs. I have spotted earwigs on the plant, but I don't know what they eat. The damage is on my welty plant; if anybody has time to check this in my diary, it probably represents Poet's problem too, since we are so close in proximity.

I'm not certain who the culprit is either, but so far the damage doesn't seem to be cause for alarm.

Toby

6/1/2004 2:25:13 AM

Mill Creek West by god Virginia

hi guys i had the same problems here in west virginia and after some latenight investigation i found it was snails and slugs,i went to war with em got some bug getta from ortho supposed to be all organic anyway so far i gott em on the run he he maybe this is youre alls trouble hope this helps!burrhead

6/1/2004 5:31:25 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

It could have been any number of Leaf Beetles. Cucumber beetles are yellow with either black spots or striped. But green versions exist with & without markings. The feeding damage looks like Leaf Beetles. I would treat with Lambda-cyhalothrin or Bifenthrin ASAP regardless. Sevin will work too but watch the temperature & rate.

6/1/2004 6:55:13 AM

Roanoke Il

I would have to agree with steve I don't thing you need the big guns thow I don't think the have cuke beetles or svb's west of the rockies dust with atleast seven should take care of the problem. mark

6/1/2004 7:30:46 AM

60C Bayview Rd.Castroville,Calif 95012

Kinda looks like earwigs.I didn't think they did much damage but when plants are small they can set you back a lot. I use (Corry's)Slug Snail&Insect Killer.I put a ring around the plant when they go in the ground and add more about 3weeks later as needed.This stuff works better than any thing else that I have tried.
Jeff

6/1/2004 7:22:27 PM

Montoursville, PA

Slugs and snails can be tricky on first incounter. I use two products. One is Escar-Go from Gardens Alive and Sluggo now coming in from Germany. Both are great and leave a trace of iron and possibly a little nitrogen as they bio-degrade. They are perfectly safe for children, pets and wildlife to be around. The snails and slugs eat it. They get sick on the stomach and stop eating. Once they stop eating they dehydrate and starve themselves to death. They do not get half dead and come back as super slugs and snails.

6/1/2004 11:29:54 PM

DE is an abbreviation of the words "Diatomaceous Earth," which is a fossilized deposit of microscopic shells created by one celled plants called Diatoms. Commonly used in pool filters. There is also a "garden grade" basically when dry it is like a pile of razor blades to insects and they get cut to shreds. It is not biodegradeable. No tree hugger here... I use it in my pool so I know a little about it. Not advocating it's use. Do a search using "Diatomaceous Earth"

6/1/2004 11:54:20 PM

El Dorado Hills, California

Ok... I think I've determined that the culprit pumpkin leaf monster was indeed the earwig... otherwise known around here as the pincher bug...

Never seen any around the plants themselves, but when lifting a bag of soil up from the base of a tree nearby the patch I discovered a swarm of them...
Threw a bucket of water on 'em and stomped on a quite a few... but don't quite think I did 'em much damage before they wiggled into little holes and under tree bark and slipped away. grrr...
But whatever the "Diatomaceous Earth" does... it appears to be working 'cause I haven't had a bit of a problem since it's been out there.

So YAY!!! Mystery solved... Problem over... :-D

6/9/2004 1:38:13 PM