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Help ID bug and white stuff on Stargazers

13 years ago

I saw this bug yesterday on the green part of one of my Stargazers. Friend or foe?

Also, there was this white stuff, which looked kind of like a pile of baby powder, on the stems. But it was not dry like baby powder, it was sticky-ish. I couldn't get a good picture of the white stuff, but here's the best I could capture. It's also on my Hibiscus. Anyone know what it's from?

TIA!

Bug

White sticky stuff

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Comments (8)

hortster
13 years ago
The insect looks like a lightning bug or firefly, methinks.
hortster
ditnc
Original Author
13 years ago
Horster, thanks. I googled firefly and it sure looks like one.

As for the white stuff, I googled "white stuff on plants" and, surprisingly, found a bunch of info. I think it might be from spittle bugs or leafhoppers. It looks like white cotton candy.
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Yep agree on mealy bugs. Like Denise said apply 70% Rubbing Alcohol to them directly with a cotton swab if the infection is minor (a few single ones here and there) or spray it undiluted with a spray bottle if the infection is medium (try to avoid spraying the soil as much as possible). Heavy infestations may require the use of insecticides. Manually remove the cottony structures as those are nests where the eggs are stored in (varies with mealy species). The eggs are not destroyed by the alcohol so re-inspect and re-apply treatment every 3-4 days. The most common mealy species infecting house plants is the citrus mealy (slightly darker band going lengthwise on its back) and this one also sometimes infects the plant near or below soil level thus inspect your plant at and below soil level for possible infections. If the infection is below soil level then treatment with insecticides is recommended (or be ready to fight them for a long time :) Milan
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Judy, the foam protects them from any chemical you might use. If your hydrangea is the size you describe, you can spray away the foam with water, or take a paper towel, wipe them off and squash. You're going to find a little green to yellow-green soft nymph inside the foam. The nymph is sucking sap, causing the distortion. And when you're done with your hydrangea, you can come and do my lavender - they are covered this year, along with the hardy fuchsias :)
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Comments (10)
YARROW!! That's been driving me nuts, I knew it wasn't queen anne's lace, but couldn't place it. Now looking at it I get hit w/ a big DUH!! White Yarrow.... Hey does anyone know of a very close relative to Queen Anne's that has pink blooms?? All of, what I was sure was QAL, even has that dark sterile flower in the center, is opening PINK! And the sterile flower is a deep plum color! It's got to be some kind of wild carrot plant. i dont have any pics of it yet (didn't think i needed them until they opened pink!)
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Comments (3)
Actually, the fruit of Passion Vine is highly edible -- you've just picked it too soon. Another common name for the vine is Wild Apricot, which should give you some idea of the general taste of the ripe fruit. When it's ripe the skin pales to a soft yellow green and the flesh will be quite soft. The ripe seeds inside will be dark. The black bug might be a leaf footed bug. They suck sap, but don't seem to do too much damage in my garden, unlike their relative the squash bug, which pretty much destroys my squash plantings every year. Marty Here is a link that might be useful: Leaf Footed Bug
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taz6122
13 years ago
It does look similar to what those white fuzzy leafhoppers leaves behind.
calliope
13 years ago
It is definitely not from spittle bugs. What they deposit looks like......well...spittle. ;-)
hortster
13 years ago
By the way, lightning bugs are beneficial predators.
hortster
ditnc
Original Author
13 years ago
"It is definitely not from spittle bugs. What they deposit looks like......well...spittle."

Yes, but once the glob dries up, can't it become flaky like in the picture? The original blob was all one big blob, and it might have been foamy at first.

I have seen swallowtail butterflies hanging around the stargazers. But I don't think they leave white stuff?
taz6122
13 years ago
Spittle dries transparent IME. I've flicked and smashed plenty of the white leafhoppers and that looks just like the stuff left on the plant.
jean001
13 years ago
Look up flatid leafhopper. Perhaps that's it.

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