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Something is eating my hibiscus leaves!

8 years ago

Please help! I live in South Texas (Victoria) and something keeps eating my hibiscus leaves to the stem.. Only on the 6 bushes in my front flowerbed against the house. I have a patio hibiscus in a large pot 20ft from flowerbed that doesn't get messed with.. As well as a few plants in pots in the back yard. I do live in the country and have a few deer in the area, but have no sign of them in the flower beds or front yard. I will attempt to attach pics.

Featured Answer

User

8 years ago

Jeff,

I know it's hard, but if you can get out there early, look real close on the branch of the plant, I mean stare at it, I swear that's catipillar damage. They are usually on the branches, and when they see you or hear you, they are real still, and sometimes it's hard to see them. If you see one, you have more than one. They are chomping the tops off, that is what catipillars do. I picked 7 or 8 off of one of my plants, just pull them off, they don't bite. Also, wash the bush down real good, there are little black eggs on the bush too, you have to look close to see it. If your problem is catipillars, but that is what my plant looked like, and I caught them. It will take a couple days to find them, they are hard to see, they look like your plant.

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Comments (12)

Jeff Jones
Original Author
8 years ago
Jeff Jones
Original Author
8 years ago
As pictured, I tried seven dust.. Didn't work. The bushes will get full and pretty and then within 2-3 days they get raped of almost every leaf. Haven't found any grasshoppers on them, even looked at night a few times.. No culprit found.
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merkity
8 years ago
someone else was having issues with deer...
Jeff Jones
Original Author
8 years ago
I'm pretty confident it's not deer though.
Gail Stevens-Cryer
8 years ago
GRASSHOPPERS LUV HIBISCUS LEAVES... I'VE CAUGHT A FEW MUNCHING ON MINE... SRY I DON'T KNOW ANY SOLUTIONS FOR GRASSHOPPERS... A NET SHOULD WORK BUT THEN U REALLY WOULDN'T SEE THE PLANT...HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL HAVE AN ANSWER...
Jeff Jones
Original Author
8 years ago
It does look like caterpillars to me as well, but it's been going on for 3yrs and I work shift work day/nights. I check it often.. morning, night, evening when it's being molested. I'll give another look. Right now plant is regrowing leaves and is not being tampered with. Would seven dust not kill caterpillars and grasshoppers? Thanks
Gail Stevens-Cryer
8 years ago
I FOUND THESE GUYS ON A HALF EATEN LEAF... NOT SURE WHAT HE IS BUT I'VE FOUND MORE SINCE... WONDERING IF IT'S A JAPANESE BETTLE CAUSE IVE READ THEY LOVE HIBISCUS TOO... AND UR NOT ALONE JEFF... I'M OUT THERE @ 3AM W/ FLASHLIGHT... BOWL OF SOAPY WATER N A LONG RULER ( TO KNOCK BUGS IN SOAPY WATER...LOL... OH YEAH THE WORST PART BESDES EATEN LEAVES SOMETHING IS BORING INTO FLOWER BUDS N LEAVING THIS
BEHIND !!!...
Gail Stevens-Cryer
8 years ago
AHH HAA... FINALLY CAUGHT THE CULPRITS THAT WERE EATING MY TROPICAL HIBISCUS... I NEVER WOULD HAVE BELIEVED IT IF I HADN'T SEEN WITH MY OWN EYES !!! IT'S THE DAMN NEIGHBORHOOD SQUIRRELS !!!... I'VE DUSTED THEM W/ CAYENNE PEPPER WHICH HAS WORKED SO FAR... NOW IF U CAN BE ONLY ID BUG THAT'S DESROYING MY HAEDT HIBISCUS FLOWERS N SEEDS :( ...

NITETIME... LET ME USE THE FLASH...

.
Jeff Jones
Original Author
8 years ago
Haha.. Squirrels?? Nice! I'm just now getting leaves back good so I'll have to keep a better eye out. It's gotta be caterpillars.
Penny Warren
3 years ago
I see no signs of leaves on the ground or lacy eaten leaves! Just cut off at the limb. Happened over night!
Sheryl Younes
last year
Im having the same problem plants begin to flourish then overnight the leaves are eaten to the stem Gonna try the pepper I think its iguanas or squirrels

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