Showing posts with label pests. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pests. Show all posts

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Rose Gall - Diplolepis rosae

Watering my garden this morning, I noticed yellowing leaves on my Rosa glauca. A sign of heat stress. Yet, as I looked closer, I saw a mossy mass which I've only ever seen once before.


I knew this is a rose gall, but I wasn't sure what was causing this gall.  Galls can 'grow' on all sorts of plants. Sometimes it's a sign that the plant is stressed.


I took my secateurs and cut the gall off with two sets of leaves at the base of the gall.


Mossy hard mass. Really cool.


Took my secateurs and cut the gall in half. Found several larvae in sections. Each within their own chamber.


They are in fact larvae from a wasp.

Non-native - an European introduction called: Diplolepis rosae.

The most fascinating aspect is: how the heck did they get in there?

Adult wasps lay eggs on the plant and once a larva hatches, it begins to feed on leaf bud tissue, and an amazing process begins. The host plant is stimulated somehow with the feeding, where cells from the surrounding tissue multiply, adding layers of tissue - forming this gall. The larvae within, creates a microhabitat, where not only they are protected and housed, but the chambers they indwell also become their food source.  A hotel with room service, if you will.

Pretty cool.


However, since it's an non-native intruder, I squished the gall and disposed of it. Removing and destroying it may sound harsh, but doing so before the gall dries out and the wasps emerge, will help to reduce the infestation. I fear if we don't handle these invaders properly, they will take over and cause major issues down the road.

Neat eh?



Monday, October 23, 2017

Nippon Daisy - Spotted Cucumber Beetle

Usually our Nippon Daisy has glorious large flowers which last forever.  The warm autumn we are experiencing in Southern Ontario has made our Nippon Daisies a huge attraction to bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
Photo taken in 2013

But when you see leaf petals and flower centres begin to look like this...

This flower is about a week old. They usually last about 3 weeks, with vibrant white petals. So sad....


...well - something's up.



I tried looking for signs early in the morning, thinking slugs or some beetle, but didn't see any.  Then Saturday, I waited until the sun was shining bright.  Ah, ha!  Do you see the beetle?


Grrr....  It's the spotted Cucumber Beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber). 


Feeding off both the petals and the central disk of florets.  

Every single flower had at least one.

The worst part:  when they feel you are about to approach them, they quickly hide to the underside of the flower.  To make sure I collected each one, I grabbed the base of the flower and tapped/shook the flower over my hand.   In hindsight, I would recommend that you use a bucket or something to catch them, as several flew out of my hand before I could squish them.


Here are several pictures to see their 12 spots up close. Six black dots flanked on either side.



Like the Scarlett Lily Beetle, they too can "act" dead and roll over.  But, don't be tempted to dispose of them looking like this, within seconds they flip back. Best to squish.


Since it's October, I believe this is the 2nd or 3rd generation of beetle.  Neighbours two doors down from us grow zucchinis. I suspect these beetles have come over to our garden and are partaking in one of their last meals before they hibernate in leafy debris.

Do the best you can to remove as many of these adults.  They overwinter in organic leafy bits at the base of plants.  Here is a great article on the beetle's life cycle.

If they eat Nippon Daisies, I wouldn't be surprised if they eat Chrysanthemums or other late flowering plants. Keep a look out.

After picking 4 different times during weekend, I managed to find over 21 beetles. Hopefully ridding them from our plants. Let's hope we significantly reduced numbers for next year.

One note:  Take a look at the base of this Nippon Daisy:


This past spring I was tempted to divide and re-situate.  I regret not doing that. It needs dividing desperately.  Probably one of the reasons the beetles were on the attack.  Weakened plants attract pests. Lesson learned.  

In the next week or so, a good autumn clean up and another check of the flowers when it's sunny out, should reduce the numbers of beetles. Let's hope we have a really good cold spell this winter - to help kill overwintering insect pests like these.

Next year, we'll divide the plant and re-establish with some amendment.

Monday, September 09, 2013

Common House Plant Pests - Part 4: Mealybugs - Planococcus citri

I was asked to rescue this Jade plant (Crassula ovata) for a friend. They were wondering what the white stuff was covering the base of each leaf.


This Jade plant has seen better days. Leaves are distorted, the growth is weak; becoming susceptible to attack. Every leaf axil was invested with Mealybug. Their typical white, powdery coating is a dead giveaway. Female adults are hidden beneath, sucking sap from the host plant.

A close up, showing white fuzzy cotton insects at each leaf node (joint).

I hate using chemicals. High pressure water is by far my favourite control for Mealybug. Don't worry about damaging leaves. The spray from a garden hose is not that harsh. Don't use a pressure washer, just a hose attachment for the garden.

* Note: Be sure to spray on a driveway or area where the Mealybugs cannot transfer to another plant. In the summer months, Mealybugs can easily survive and find other hosts in your garden.  Treat your plant in this manner on a hot summer day. The Mealybugs will fall to the pavement and because their food source is gone, they will die in the hot sun.

Use either the Jet or the...

Flat setting on your hose end sprayer.

Liberally spray the plant in all directions. Under the foliage, on the top of the foliage - reaching all the nooks and crannies. This pressure will help dislodge leaves that need to come off anyway. Not to worry.


After you've sprayed the plant thoroughly with water, make sure any dislodged Mealybugs that have fallen on the top of the soil in the pot is also sprayed out.


Soil is generally compacted enough in pots. Spraying this hard won't wash all the soil away. Spray on an angle and tip the pot if necessary.



Spray the saucer on both sides thoroughly. The more thorough you are, the less likely the Mealybugs will return.



Spray the pot, under the rim, beneath....EVERYWHERE. Mealybugs are persistent and they hide in any corner, nook or crack.

Remove any damaged, old, wrinkly leaves. Be sure to spray with water at the leaf axil after leaves have been removed. Eggs or small, in-star Mealybugs may still be there.




Use rubbing alcohol as an additional control after you've thoroughly sprayed the plant. Apply with a cotton swab and paint the leaf axils, buds, bases of the leaves/stems.

Be sure to get all the leaves, axils and any where you may have noticed Mealybugs before the treatment. It's an arduous task, but worth it. You can actually kill off the Mealybug by painting alcohol over its body. It kills them on contact. The alcohol removes their outer white coating and makes their exterior skin dry out.


After painting all the leaf axils and other areas you may think the Mealybugs have been, wipe the pot down with a cloth drenched in rubbing alcohol or a bath of 1 part rubbing alcohol to 3 parts water and 1 tsp dish soap. This will prevent eggs or crawler bugs from surviving.

An alternative is to repot with a sterilized/clean flower pot. If you do so, be sure to clean the former pot and store in an area where if any Mealybugs were to survive, they would soon die off from lack of any food source.

Once you've treated your plant, resituate in a bright area, away from other house plants until you know the infested plant is clear. Add a layer of fresh potting soil and use houseplant fertilizer every two weeks when watering. Monitor your plant every other day for re-infestations. Retreat until no more Mealybugs are to be found.

In the winter, Mealybugs don't like the cold. If you can't spray as I did on the driveway but you want to kill off the Mealybugs; bring the infested plant towards a cold window sill. The Mealybugs will move away from the coldest side of the plant to the warmer leaves. Once they congregate, remove with a cotton swab doused with rubbing alcohol.

Hope this helps.

Check out my updated post on the results!

Monday, July 08, 2013

Common Garden Pests - Slugs Deroceras reticulatum

One of my fondest memories, is my aunt and I waking up early in the morning to pick slimy, sticky slugs (called Schnecken in German). We'd have a bucket full by the time breakfast was ready, only to sit and laugh with a cup of coffee on the patio. Mind you, the slugs in Germany are HUGE compared to here in Ontario. It was the most effective method, since their large size made most other controls useless. They made considerable damage to my Aunts veggie garden and her prized Dahlias. It was well worth the effort to pick that early.

The Ontario Slug: Deroceras reticulatum - causing me grief. Unlike the German Schnecken, these guys are much smaller. Scrunched up, they are as tiny as 1cm long.

Small slug - half an inch or so long.
Unfortunately the slugs in my garden stay away from my view, as I only end up seeing their devastation when it's too late. Plus, I have an early start to work, and can't putz around in my garden that early to comb over the plants. However, this morning, instead of running to the coffee machine, I went outside to make sure it was in fact them eating away. It was time to find my slimy enemies.

I have many hostas, lettuce, lamium, kale, swiss chard.... and I am tired of seeing their foliage turn out like swiss cheese.
Having a blissful morning munch.

Apparently yesterdays meal. (Rudbeckia)

Munch, munch, munch... (Lamium)

Even damage on some of the tougher leaves in the garden. (Ligularia)
Grrr...

In the past, I've managed to "kill a few with the good old brew". Yes, beer. I used to dig out small areas of soil to place a shallow sour cream container filled with beer over night to see in the morning a few had died in the blissful brew. Not worth the wasted beer. I've also used newspaper sheets, rolled up, soaked in beer. Ya, a bunch of slugs, pill bugs and earwigs were tucked in there, but my garden would need the entire Saturday Star and the weekend flyers to do the job. Rolled up paper, wet from water does the same trick too.

Because my small backyard is fenced off between my neighbours, no matter what I've tried thus far...they come back. I prefer harmless solutions. So here are other options I've used before:
  • eggshells 
  • diatomaceous earth 
  • hair 
  • coarse compost (leafy and mulch materials)
  • coffee grounds 
  • lemon and orange rinds  
  • sand
Yet, I'm afraid this wet summer has produced persistent moist conditions. Perfect conditions for the slug. They are multiplying quickly and the above methods aren't working. This has been the worst year, so I've caved in and bought myself some "friendly" Slug B Gone.
Scotts EcoSense: Slug B Gone. Non toxic to pets, birds etc...
Small pellets. Spread per directions on the bag, just before expected rain.
I still have three full months to enjoy my perennials before the frost comes. I'd like to see less damaged foliage. Should of done this weeks ago. I'll report on the results soon.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Boxwood Leaf Miner - Monarthropalpus flavus


My eyes were drawn to my small Korean Boxwood yesterday. This variety is called "Green Gem". I bought it 3 years ago. It had some winter snow (weight) damage on it earlier this spring, but something else caught my attention.

Seeing these brown blisters frustrates me.
Tucked inside these blisters is a creature called: 
Monarthropalpus flavus - Boxwood Leaf Miner

As you can see, pretty much all the leaves have blisters in various stages of  the leaf miner's life cycle.

Here, I brought a stem inside to reveal what's inside each blister pocket. 



The adult leaf miner lays eggs, by inserting them between the layers of the boxwood leaf. Making a perfect pocket situation for their offspring to hatch, become pupae and begin feeding.

Here you can see the small puncture hole mark, 
where the adult laid the egg. This hole becomes the exit for when they pupate into adults.

Some leaves have 3-4 miners munching away. Getting ready to become adults.

On the shiny, upright part of the leaf, you see more browning and damage. Holding this up to the light will reveal the pupae, its excrement and the ever enlarging pocket they create.
These photos show pupae that are orange, this means they are near ready to transform themselves into adults. The pupae are lighter in colour when young - more yellow. Once they become orange, this is the time they stop feeding and go through their next life cycle. Through the puncture "window" or hole, they will squeeze through, hang from upside down until they pupate into an adult - orange fly.

This is an insect that is hard to control, unless you cut back the blistered portions of the boxwood ruthlessly or if you use pesticides. Systemic insecticides would help me combat this insect, but for such a small plant and for the sake of spraying chemicals, I choose not to in this case. In Ontario, one would require a pesticide license to acquire such chemicals to do the trick.

Since this is a young boxwood, I have decided to take it out of my garden. If I prune it back hard, it will take a long time to recover and my garden is too small to waste space. Last year the leaf miner numbers were unnoticeable to me. Perhaps I purchased this boxwood with leaf miners or perhaps not. Best rid this boxwood before it feeds off my other plants.

So sad.... Time for something else in that spot.

Have a look at my post on the adult-life-cycle of this Leaf Miner.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Oyster Scale - Lepidosaphes ulmi


I don't see Oyster Scale very often, but on this young lilac, it was hard to notice. Deep brown and shiny bark was what I hoped to see. Instead, these grey, matted blotches point to something else.


It's a thick coating that won't come off easily.

Even with my nail scraping them off, it's a tough go.

You can clearly see why they are called Oyster Scale with this close up.

Like my post on Euonymus Scale, this pesky insect is hard to control.  Given this lilac was newly planted and situated with others, I will have to remove it - preventing its neighbours from getting infested. This one is really bad. By late summer, the scales excreted poop will turn into sooty mold, which will further change the bark colour to a brown black.


Treat with dormant oil before bud break in spring and again just after the leaves have fallen in the autumn.  For a more natural control method: spray with a hard water spray - during this time of year when the leaves have yet to emerge. You can repeat the hard water spray throughout the summer months, just be sure not to damage leaves. This dislodges many of the adult scale and their nymphs. You have to REPEAT this method, over and over - to dislodge them. But it works.

Pruning the worst of the branches out helps too. Reducing their numbers is key. By all means, you can scrape the scales off with your finger nails (eeew) or a soft brush after they have been moistened (by rain or your water spray). This will drastically reduce numbers, but be careful not to damage tender bark in the process.

Feed and nurture infested shrubs like this. It'll help them bounce back.

HINT:  given this plant is young and newly establishing... It was probably infested at the nursery. Folks, look carefully at your shrubs and plants coming from garden centres. This Oyster Scale feeds off of several shrubs, including: Willows, Cotoneaster, Dogwood and young Ash and Maple trees. You don't want to bring a shrub home with this insect problem.  It will travel, infesting other plants.
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