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Something is Pruning and Topping My Plant! I FOUND THE CULPRIT. New Pic Update in OP
- Thread starter jojo
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Believe it or not, I have similar issues with Pill bugs (Armadillidiidae). They destroy cucumber seedlings feverishly. They also destroy tomato seedlings and other small plants.
Hungry SOBs
And?jojo said:
looks like an army worm to me. Had them, squashed them, washed them away Lol
Angie
Angie
By the way - when dealing with cutworms - if you have one that big, generally, there is only one. If it's a hornworm, you've probably lost the whole plant, not just the leaves. But for future reference, here is an easy home remedy:
First, put a ring of crushed egg shells around the base of the plant. About 4-6" diameter should suffice. It hurts worms and snails to crawl across it. Inside of that, put a pile of cornmeal. The worms love cornmeal, but it doesn't love them back. It causes a digestive disorder than usually kills them, or slows them enough for you to discover them.
The cornmeal will also attract some other bugs, but not usually anything that will bother your plants. I generally leave it, and it either composts into the soil, or becomes insect poo.
You can also make a collar out of carboard. For whatever reason, they won't crawl over it. (like a fence) For me, that's not good enough, because I want to kill the bastards, not keep them out. But it WILL save seedlings, so it's good to put up on new plantings.
First, put a ring of crushed egg shells around the base of the plant. About 4-6" diameter should suffice. It hurts worms and snails to crawl across it. Inside of that, put a pile of cornmeal. The worms love cornmeal, but it doesn't love them back. It causes a digestive disorder than usually kills them, or slows them enough for you to discover them.
The cornmeal will also attract some other bugs, but not usually anything that will bother your plants. I generally leave it, and it either composts into the soil, or becomes insect poo.
You can also make a collar out of carboard. For whatever reason, they won't crawl over it. (like a fence) For me, that's not good enough, because I want to kill the bastards, not keep them out. But it WILL save seedlings, so it's good to put up on new plantings.
jojo,
Just a thought on this one. I had that same type of damage last year on my bush beans. I'd go out in the morning and the'yd be eaten down like that. Finally went out at night and found them covered with earwigs, just like your earlier picture. Suprised the hell out of me as I didn't know they did that. I also looked around and read about them and didn't find much that said they would, but I did see it for myself clear as day. I put the control measures on them and the problem went away. I wouldn't give up just yet that that is your real culprit. Plus, I've never seen cutworms (and that looks like what your other culprit is) do damage that far up the plant. They usually focus on the stem right at the dirt line. Not saying they doin't go higher up I just have never seen it myself.
Just my 2 cents.
Just a thought on this one. I had that same type of damage last year on my bush beans. I'd go out in the morning and the'yd be eaten down like that. Finally went out at night and found them covered with earwigs, just like your earlier picture. Suprised the hell out of me as I didn't know they did that. I also looked around and read about them and didn't find much that said they would, but I did see it for myself clear as day. I put the control measures on them and the problem went away. I wouldn't give up just yet that that is your real culprit. Plus, I've never seen cutworms (and that looks like what your other culprit is) do damage that far up the plant. They usually focus on the stem right at the dirt line. Not saying they doin't go higher up I just have never seen it myself.
Just my 2 cents.
