Joe Pye Weed ravaged

deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b

9 months ago

My standard Joe Pye Weed in front is being practically skeletonized and I have never seen a bug one it, and I’ve been looking. Coastal Joe Pye Weed in back looks untouched. I don’t mind plants being eaten, but with this level of damage I’m concerned it’s a problem. I’m even more amazed that I’ve not seen a single bug on it. I don’t think it’s slugs, even though they are too plentiful in the garden. I would have seen slugs on leaves if they were the culprit, or at least signs of them. Does anybody know what attacks only the standard JPW?

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diggerdee zone 6 CT

9 months ago

OMG Marie, unless you are being facetious and poking fun at me, you definitely have me confused with someone else! Haha! I would never venture out into my garden at night with a headlamp. I don't want to see what goes on out there in the dark lol. I'm nervous enough going into the basement in the daytime with those darn ghost crickets down there!

I think it might have been prariemoon2 who is the brave one and ventured out with a headlamp....

Deanna I hope your plant rebounds!

Dee

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Comments (13)

gawdinfever Z6
9 months ago
deanna, I googled Joe Pye Weed bugs and it brought up posts from 9 years & 15 years ago from gw about the same thing. Even Google results says many bugs like JPW and that this is common. Says the plant will rebound, too.
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b thanked gawdinfever Z6
mxk3 z5b_MI
9 months ago
I have similar damage. I have a couple Eupatorium perfoliatum (boneset) that look like your Joe Pye this year. One of my Joe Pye is chewed up, the others are untouched. Different cultivars -- maybe one is tastier than another?
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b thanked mxk3 z5b_MI
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 months ago
joe pye was ravished???? .... i suspect his girlfriend or the hussy neighbor woman ... lol

and you aside.. is he really complaining...

oh wait.. you said ravaged... never mind.. lol

ken

ps: all green tissue continues to function.. convert sunlight into energy.. to store in the roots for next year.. so leave it be.. and you should be fine next year... the only thing that might harm that theory.. would be if you mowed it down.. and it reflushed.. using stored energy.. when it would be storing energy for next season... soooo.. ignoring it is your best option.. and if you can NOT find a bug.. there would be no use to spraying....if you find something.. feel free to ravish it.. lol ... check at night.. if you cant find it during the day...
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
Marie Tulin
9 months ago
last modified: 9 months ago
Mine looks like that too. id be tempted to put some sluggo plus around it because it works on earwigs too. Although you'd see them this is the season of a lot of chewing night beetles that fly. Not very scientific; we called them ”june bugs” when i was a kid
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b thanked Marie Tulin
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b
Original Author
9 months ago
last modified: 9 months ago
Well, Ken, Mr Pye might not mind being RAVAGED, I suspect. Maybe the girl needs to be ravishing. However, I believe Mr. Pye has low standards in my yard!

It must be night bugs. I’ll try to go out and check. I would just like to know what is doing it. I don’t mind some bug damage unless it’s from something really negative like Japanese Beetles, but I have not seen any of those in my yard so far this year.

Thanks to all replies. I guess this is the year Joe Pye leads the bug menu of the day…day after day after day. Glad I’m not alone!
Marie Tulin
9 months ago
Dont you go out at night like Dee with a head lamp on, looking for bugs ravishing your plants? Nighttime when all the action is!
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b thanked Marie Tulin
Barrheadlass
9 months ago
My Joe Pye looks the same, and I have been assuming it was snails/slugs. Will take a look at night.
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b thanked Barrheadlass
arbordave (SE MI)
9 months ago
The damage could also be caused by small caterpillars that feed earlier in the season (rather than snails/slugs or beetles). A couple websites mention plume moth caterpillars specifically. I took this photo at a public garden 6/14/23, but didn't take the time to search for the culprits
rusty_blackhaw
9 months ago
My lead suspect is some sort of caterpillar. At this poin in the season, cutting plants back by at least half to get fresh new foliage (and standing guard ready to spray BT or use slug bait as necessary) would be my choice. There may still be time for trimmed-back plants to flower by fall.
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
9 months ago
Well, after seeing all that damage just accross the pond, I had to go out and check mine. Fortunately, there was nary a hole to be seen.

tj
arbordave (SE MI)
9 months ago
There was only minor damage on my patch of Little Joe in the backyard this year, but by coincidence earlier this evening I found 2 adult plume moths on the foliage (upper right and lower left). So it seems likely that the caterpillars of this particular moth were responsible.
Marie Tulin
9 months ago
Beautiful creature