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Vegetable Gardening

Something eating holes in my leaves

8 years ago

Since we've been having a very mild winter I've been able to grow cabbage, spinach, and turnips throughout the winter. But I notice that a lot of my plants have lots of small holes in the leaves. Some of them look like swiss cheese! Less so the cabbage, but they seem to especially like the turnips.
I'm not sure what it was, but then when I was pulling up some large turnips, I noticed a number of small white larvae in the dirt. They are about the twice the size of a grain of rice. I can't tell if they are caterpillar or some kind of beetle grub. I am wondering if these are the culprits. Any idea what these could be?

Featured Answer

digdirt2

8 years ago

That is damage from slugs and yes they are usually only seen at night with a flashlight. They are quite small and during the day they hide in the leaves and mulch around the base of the plants and on the undersides of the leaves and crawl up the leaves at night. There are a number of slug treatments available that you just sprinkle around the base of the plants to kill them. Or you can go out at night and hand pick them or sprinkle them with salt. Just pull up the discussions here on slug control

Dave

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Comments (11)

zzackey
8 years ago
Grubs? I don't think caterpillars go under the soil. Do they curl into a C shape?
jean001a
8 years ago
Doubt the little white things are the problem.

But an image of the damage & of the white things would help us make a reliable decision/suggestion/remedy.
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Christian
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I dont think they are burrowing under the ground. They seemed to be at the surface of the dirt, They were kindof C-shaped but very small. I'll get a pic tomorrow
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
8 years ago
Can you also get a picture of the holes?
Christian
Original Author
8 years ago
Ok here are pictures of the grub. (sorry floral I just got back in from the garden and didnt notice your last post so I dont have any hole pics right now but will post later.)

Yesterday they looked a bit "whiter" to me, but now that I look at them more they are more greenish/grey colored. The green makes me think they are eating the leaves, right? Any idea what these are?
digdirt2
8 years ago
That looks like a cicada larvae, the annual variety. If so then no, it isn't what is eating the holes in the leaves. The most common pest of the crops you mention are a moth larvae (cabbage looper moth) that reside on the plants, not in the soil, and yes their damage does look like swiss cheese. The best treatment for them, and other caterpillars) is one of the many brands of Dipel

Dave
Peter (6b SE NY)
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
How big are the holes? Post a picture of the leaves? It could also be flea beetles.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/flea-beetles/
User
8 years ago
Climbing cutworm?
Christian
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Here are the spinach and turnips. I have not seen any beetles on them, I cant find any bugs around them except these grubs. I wonder if they feed at night?
Christian
Original Author
8 years ago
After looking at more of my plants and picking some greens, now I am sure these are the culprits. I found some of them up on the plants. Here is one. I could not get my iPhone to focus on the grub. But looking at it more closely, I am thinking its actually a caterpillar. What do you guys think?

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