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What's eating my Brug?

16 years ago

Hi all,

I received my first --two brug cuttings and they have been growing like gangbusters. Unfortunately something has been eating the leaves -- ugg!. Some of the leaves are actually sheared in half. The plants have been inside since I got them in the fall. I've seen those pesky gnats flying around but that's it. Any suggestions on what to do?

Thanks,

Peaches

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Comments (8)

karyn1
16 years ago
The only thing that eats my brug leaves like that are caterpillars. What zone did these come from? There wouldn't be any caterpillars in your area yet. Check the leaves carefully and look for a small green caterpillar that camouflages very well with the foliage.
Karyn
rigo74
16 years ago
Yep! I agree with Karyn, It has to be caterpillars. Thoes thing can at an entire plant overnite, If not they can do some damage. Look very carefully and you will find him(them)hiding.
Good Luck
Rigo74
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juttz
16 years ago
Are there any signs of slugs?..I brought my plants in this fall and put them under lights..I saw some shiny stuff on the leaves and caught some huge slugs in the morning on the plants....you wont see them during the day but when you turn the lights on in the morning you sometimes will find them on the rim of the pot...my problem right now is fungus gnats and aphids....spring hurry up and come so I can spray mine outside...Judy
karyn1
16 years ago
Judy I hadn't even thought of that but that might very well be the culprit. I've picked a few off the plants in the GH at night. I'd hate to think that I had slugs inside though, eek! It's bad enough having them outside, especially stepping on one of the big suckers barefoot!
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fool4flowers
16 years ago
If its the little tiny green cats about the only way I can find them is to mist the leaves and watch for them to move and check underneath this way too. When they are tiny you can be looking right at them and never see them unless they move. They are the exact color of the leaves.
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
16 years ago
Mist the leaves and then look: Now why didn't I think of that? - great idea!
I hate those little green cats they always lie underneath along a leaf vein or something, hard to see, the little boogers.
karyn1
16 years ago
I'd never thought to mist first either. What a good idea. Those buggers are next to impossible to see. Thanks.
Karyn
juttz
16 years ago
Karyn, I was hunting those slugs early in the morning and one day I saw the biggest slug I ever saw on the rim of on of the pots...needless to say he went to slug heaven and after that I was finding small ones once and awhile..the slime trail is a big give away....I also saw one ladybug that came in with the brugs this last fall, Im sure its nice and fat with eating aphids all winter...I saw it yesterday on some cuttings that just got infested..it was sitting in the sun eating away..lol...Judy

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