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What pest caused this leaf damage?

17 years ago

Something ate up the hollyhocks last year when I bought this house. I didn't mind. But this year the same damage has spread from there to the neighbouring runner beans and parsley. Link to 4 pics is below. The arugula is a bit eaten but not the lettuce, which seemed odd to me.

I don't see any pests on the plants. I note that this is right next to the deck, but the pests have not gone up on the deck and attacked plants in pots. THis makes me think the problem is not the maple bugs/box elder bugs that have made babies all over the place lately. I guess it's something in the soil. Earwigs, maybe? Haven't seen many this year, but they were monstrous last year. Haven't seen more than 2 or 3 leafhopper so far this year, which were also a suspect for me. Haven't seen any other pests around so far.

Thanks for any thoughts or replies.

Okanagan

See Pics of the damage.

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Comments (6)

jean001
17 years ago
Not box elder bugs because they specialize in the seeds of box elders and other maples.

Possibly earwigs or cucumber beetles because both make small raggedy holes such as those.

The beetles would feed during the day, the earwigs at night. A search at night with a light might help you find the culprits.
fairy_toadmother
17 years ago
i vote for earwigs! i also thought of cucumber beetles when i saw that laciness.

a little input on boxelders, just because i can't help myself :)
the nymphs and adults never left my bergenias last year. i guess they couldn't resist something so fleshy! however, there was little damage done. considering the numbers, i found that strange.
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Okanagan
Original Author
17 years ago
I didn't really thing it was the maple bugs, but I thought I should ask as they OWN this place.

Thanks much for the earwig advice! I saw nothing out there at night (earlyish) but I tried the usual tuna-can liquid trap and the results were a resounding YECCCH! I also shot down some diatomaceous earth, since I had it kicking around. There is a repulsive picture of the culprits now on the photo album on my page. Not much there but this because I just created it so I could put a photo with my initial post.

Those little things look like young earwigs to me.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
I don't see a photo album....
Okanagan
Original Author
17 years ago
Sorry. I had to delete the photo album, because it was popping up with messenger, which I use for work. I will have to find another site for photos

Okanagan
Okanagan
Original Author
17 years ago
Yay, I thank you for your help. The *FIVE* earwig traps plus at least 1000 or 2000 dead earwig babies mean that my beans now have fresh new sets of leaves daring to come forth, and no signs of eating yet.

:)

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