Hi Glenn: it doesn't seemtoo unusual for some small insect population to move into a plant, do some damage and then they are gone. I am not experienced enough to tell the difference between all the herbicide possibilities and all of the virus possibilities. However, continue to educate yourself about all of the insects in your garden at various times of the year and you'll be doing yourself a favor. I'd be looking on the other leaves and especially the ones that are at the stage your crumpled up ones were when they started having the problem. For example, some of my apple trees have Obliquebanded Leafroller damage on their 3 - 5th most recently emerged leaves. If I looked at all the 3 - 5th leaves I'd never spot the little buggers chewing on the newest leaves that they obviously prefer just the carnage from their having been there. As far as your lawn service, you might find out when they come next and flag some shoots of that and other previously affected plants and watch them for several days post-spray. The wild berries are probably there because they can handle all the hazards of life better than your cultivated varieties. Michael

When a butterfly ecloses, it's probiscus is in two parts. Those two parts have to meld together in order to form one tube. Sounds like your BF was deformed in some way and was not going to make it no matter what you did. It's hard to lose them, I know. Those melanic BSTs I have are really having problems. I don't think I'll bring any of those in again. They probably should be euthanized. The cats are really pretty, but there is something genetically wrong with them. Your poor daughter! Bless her heart. I guess I'm getting used to the fact that some of them make it and others just don't. Susan

Maria I water root the mandevilla cuttings with an air stone, a drop of Superthrive and bottom heat. I have ok results, not great, about 50%. There's some good big nurseries like Behnke, Johnson's and Meadow's Farm. I'm not familiar with the nurseries in Baltimore. I'm in Montgomery County. There's a small nursery that I love near my house in the Ashton area. I go there all the time. The owner is a Vietnamese gentleman and he specializes in Bonsai and water gardens but he carries a number of tropical and subtropical plants that can't be found elsewhere. He also has a good selection of plants native to the Orient and a fair amount of citrus. I can't believe that I don't know the name considering I go there at least 3x/mo lol I'll stop by and email you the name if you'd like. You should check out the Mid-Atlantic forum here. There's a post or two with nursery recommendations in the area. Karyn

It's hard to know. I would think that should be fine. But, the butterfly that laid that egg might have spent time resting or nectaring on any of the plants in your yard, so nothing is 100% safe. Then again, you don't know that it was OE that caused the problem in the first place, unless you checked under a microscope.