something is MUNCHING everything

jiri styles · Mar 21, 2016

hey guys, ive recently seen on 2 pepper plants that somethings been eating all the leaves to the branches and all the flowers... and on the other plants most of the flowers have been bitten off! anyone know of what this could be? ive suspected mabey snails, slugs or caterpillars?

rghm1u20 · Mar 21, 2016

Put a picture.

CAPCOM · Mar 21, 2016

Sounds like some kind n of rodent. Targeting flowers is not generally insectlike. Does it occur during the day or night?

pepperguy1 · Mar 21, 2016

I would look for Horn worms. :think:

My peppers had a issue like that some years back.Then I went out and looked the plants over about ten times. Got em :flamethrower:

didn't eat no more of my plants.

I check them in the morning and at evening time.I found mine in the evening and took a few days.They can hide really well. :drunk:

mrgrowguy · Mar 21, 2016

If the flowers and stems were mostly untouched, I would agree with snails/slugs. I had a big problem with those and they don't show up until really late at night. But sorry, due to the flowers and the stems, I have no clue

- fix for snails/slugs, use copper collars at the base of the stem. Wrapping copper wire works too, but make sure to change it out, or the trunk will get too big and the wire will dig into it.

jiri styles · Mar 22, 2016

hmm lots of good answers here, ive been searching for everything and ive found nothing yet

ive put pellets down and sprayed the plants aswell, heres also pics of the damage .. 2 plants are getting really destroyed its pretty bad :/

http://i.imgur.com/tyyPI0a.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/AFFnUao.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/tKAGcUl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/AavRiTY.jpg

pepperguy1 said:
I would look for Horn worms. My peppers had a issue like that some years back.Then I went out and looked the plants over about ten times. Got em didn't eat no more of my plants. I check them in the morning and at evening time.I found mine in the evening and took a few days.They can hide really well.

i havent heard of these worm before, what did you do to get rid of them? ive just read up about this worm and it is very possible

jiri styles · Mar 22, 2016

CAPCOM said:
Sounds like some kind n of rodent. Targeting flowers is not generally insectlike. Does it occur during the day or night?

it started a few weeks back and its just gotten really bad, im not sure because ive checked the plants during the day but i havent checked late at night yet, which i will be doing today

CAPCOM · Mar 22, 2016

If I had to take a wild guess, I would say rabbit. You do have rabbits down under dont you?

jiri styles · Mar 22, 2016

CAPCOM said:
If I had to take a wild guess, I would say rabbit. You do have rabbits down under dont you?

no rabbits AT ALL where i am, my plants are in a giant 1000 litre container with the top cut off so its very protected from rodents

CAPCOM · Mar 22, 2016

Hmmm, maybe a little joey then. :lol:

kidding.

You got pics? are the flowers being eaten or maybe just dropping?

Some bird will mess with them now and then,

jiri styles · Mar 22, 2016

CAPCOM said:
Hmmm, maybe a little joey then. kidding.

You got pics? are the flowers being eaten or maybe just dropping?

Some bird will mess with them now and then,

ahaha

, yes ive attached a few pics , its just the links in a few posts up, ive just had a 20 min look around all the plants and could not find anything yet !

jiri styles said:
ahaha , yes ive attached a few pics , its just the links in a few posts up, ive just had a 20 min look around all the plants and could not find anything yet !

the flowers are being eaten off and just the flow stems are left, and alot of leaves are eaten all the way to the branches until theres nothing left:/ 2 plants a pretty much ruined the rest havent been hit hard yet..

AJ Drew · Mar 22, 2016

If rodent or rabbit there will almost always be rodent or rabbit poop. It wont hurt a thing to put a live trap out there with something more tasty. I want to say you can get a two or three size kit for less than 50 bucks but been a while since I purchased mine. Even if you do not suspect a critter, I think it is good practice even if just to see what is living on your land.

jiri styles · Mar 22, 2016

ajdrew said:
If rodent or rabbit there will almost always be rodent or rabbit poop. It wont hurt a thing to put a live trap out there with something more tasty. I want to say you can get a two or three size kit for less than 50 bucks but been a while since I purchased mine. Even if you do not suspect a critter, I think it is good practice even if just to see what is living on your land.

ill put a trap in there tonight, but its pretty impossible for a rodent to get in there its a big metre by metre container with very high sides

AJ Drew · Mar 22, 2016

Some critters are gravity defying magic flying machines.

jiri styles · Mar 22, 2016

another strange thing is, the ghost pepper plants are the only ones getting eaten completely, ive had one die aswell randomly.. the other types of pepper plants havent been eaten alot yet only the flowers

pepperguy1 · Mar 22, 2016

jiri styles said:
hmm lots of good answers here, ive been searching for everything and ive found nothing yet ive put pellets down and sprayed the plants aswell, heres also pics of the damage .. 2 plants are getting really destroyed its pretty bad :/

http://i.imgur.com/tyyPI0a.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/AFFnUao.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/tKAGcUl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/AavRiTY.jpg

i havent heard of these worm before, what did you do to get rid of them? ive just read up about this worm and it is very possible

They have dust for them.I just keep an eye on my plants when they show up.I don't use any type of poison on my plants,but if I was to do so it would be seven dust. :think:

That picture looks like my plants when they were under attack by Horn worms.I picked them off my plants with pliers and killed them. :woohoo:

This year I'm spraying everything with a hot pepper mixture. :shh:

Marigolds are being planted everywhere. :crazy:

Just look on the pepper branch those Horn worms love to lay there as they eat all the leafs away. :mad:

Their green body helps them hide well,but their big horn gives them away.

Helvete · Mar 23, 2016

if you suspect it's a mammal, go to the store and get a bulk container of cayenne powder and sprinkle it around and on the plant. Will keep away rabbits or wombats or w/e you have there. If it's cockatiels, well...you might be screwed haha.

also, I've seen some slug damage similar to that. If you have slugs there they could be the culprit. Try some beer traps

Student of Spice · Mar 23, 2016

I would put money on some kind of worm, there are leaves missing and skipped that I would think if it were from an animal they would have eaten. Plus that last photo looked like it was a taller pepper, why wouldn't a small animal go for the same leaves closer to the ground? I would look really hard through all the plants, under the leaves, follow every stem if you can. Those worms really can blend in. Also if it is a rabbit or something make a really strong pepper spray and spray the border around it, hell spray the plants even. Mix up even cayenne pepper if you dont have anything stronger. Good luck

jiri styles · Mar 23, 2016

its defiantly some kind of worm,caterpillar for the leaves to be eaten off all the tops its very possible but after i sprayed some organic stuff to protect the plants i cant seem to find anything

Student of Spice · Mar 23, 2016

Just keep a daily eye on them comparing it to your photos so you can see if the damage continues if you are certain their isn't any more worms.