A new puppy is great therapy, I am so happy for you!

Do you have rabbits? I am torn on suspects between rabbits or grasshoppers in my yard, as I have experienced the same problem. It is most likely grasshoppers for you, they can do A LOT of damage. Catch them when you see them, unfortunately that is the best advice I have.

Good luck and enjoy that new puppy, so sorry about Trooper.

Best,
Wendy

My guess would be those big, 4" or so brown grasshopper/locusts. They can eat a lot. Is the damage low or higher up above where a rabbit can reach?

Thank you Wendy. Losing him hit the entire family harder than any other dog"s death ever has. He was special (they all are!)

We do not have rabbits my other Lab Jake catches them out in the fields where I train, but I have a 7' block wall around the backyard, and no rabbits have ever been seen in the front yard either.

The only non dog animal in my back yard are the lizards that manage to outrun Jake! I have never seen them eating the leaves... But then Jake was gone on "vacation" too, so could it be lizards? Hmmmm.

All of the damage has been both low and high leaves.

The grasshopper I found was bright green. I had seen grasshoppers before, but I had never seen any damage prior to this. But the other grasshoppers I saw were brown. A different species or just time of year?? Never thought that much about them before!!

Now I have to make sure to keep the pup safely away from the plumerias since they are poisonous. I never had puppies and plumies at the same time!! My other concern is my scented geraniums (true geraniums vs. pelargoniums). Not sure if they are poisonous or not, found pelargoniums listed, but still checking on "true geraniums". Love their smell!! Not as good as the plumeria, but I do love it when the dogs have been playing in the planter and come in the house smeling like them!!

I have sprayed the plumeria pots that are accessible to the dogs with "No Marking" a natural product by Natures Miracle that is supposed to deter dogs and cats, it uses cinnamon as the deterrent (smells fairly strong when you first spray it). My hope is that the puppy will be deterred from marking on the pots before he even learns to lift his leg (and hopefully it will stop Jake too when I move them back into their summer spot). In the summer they are along the concrete next to the grass, and unfortunately a perfect place for a dog to mark! Unfortunately it is the best location light and heat wise for my plants other than next to the house where I wouldn't be able to see them from the window! Wile next to the house, I have no problems with marking (at least I haven't with Jake or Trooper).

I will keep people posted as to whether it works (of course those of you with females don't usually have that problem!!

Thanks again!

Jennifer

There's a picture on the Facebook Plumeria Addicts group page of grasshopper damage on a plumie in Australia. The damage looks to be exactly like what you are describing.

Hi Jennifer! So sorry to hear about Trooper - losing a friend like that can be devastating. :(

Sounds like grasshoppers to me, too. I've seen them in our yard quite a bit, and have caught them on the plumeria a couple of times. They eat a lot! I try to catch them, stun them, and then feed them to Fred the Lizard who lives by our back gate. You could try spraying the leaves with Cloud Cover or Wilt-Pruf - it keeps the spider mites and other chewing/sucking bad guys at bay, so might make the leaves taste bad enough to deter the grasshoppers.

Hollis

I had heck this summer with grasshoppers since it has been so dry.
Old farmers tail is to put flour on the leaves. The GH eats the leaf with flour and dies of from the goop the flour makes in their mouths. Never tried it, but I know of people that have tried and it works.
Lonnie