Elusive leaf eating bugs

[DinaJean]

I have several plants that are being munched on....newly planted hollyhock, beebalm, chrysanthemum, moonflower vine, morning glory, squash, okra, even my angel trumpets! Maybe the bugs will die after they eat my angel trumpet leaves? The hollyhock and beebalm look like victims of Japanese beatles leaving the leaf skeleton like, but the rest of the plants just look like a couple of bites taken out here and there, spine and all. The thing is, I have not seen any Jap beatles! or any other bugs besides those dang mud wasps. Should I spray an insecticide? And if so, will it be safe to use on the okra (there is no okras forming yet, just leaves)?* My rose of sharons, ivy, elephant ears, golden chain tree, hosta, grannys bonnet, solomons seal, stonecrop, daylillies, tomato plants..*all seem to be untouched. This list just includes the stuff I have planted this year, have not taken inventory of all the existing trees and plants. Actually, the oakleaf hydrangea and fringetree?(grandfather's beard) look okay too.

*

Thanks in advance for any help

[Newt]

Dina, one of the problems with spraying an insecticide before you know your pest is you could be using the wrong pesticide and cause more problems by potentially killing beneficial insects.* Just about every plant you mention has been eaten by slugs in my garden.* You wouldn't see them because the appear at night.* You could go out in the garden after about 10pm with a flaslight and probably find them.* Another option would be to put the rind from an eaten grapefruit or orange face down like a dome in the area at night.* In the morning check to see if the slugs are hiding there.* There are organic ways of dealing with them.* If you choose the diamotaceous earth, be sure to use the food grade and DO NOT breathe in the dust as it can damage your lungs.
http://www.ghorganics.com/page13.html

You have a fringetree?* How wonderful!!* I have a male and a female and love them.

Newt

[DinaJean]

I will buy an orange today at the grocery store and check the slugs in the AM. Thanks for the advice. I actually have a fringe "bush" because the lawn-mover, weed-wacker, chainsaw-happy hubby whacked down a few things when we got the place a couple years ago until , one of which was the fringe tree. Now he knows the only ones he can touch are the ones that have a pink ribbon on them. But it came back and bloomed this spring, what a pretty sight! How do I know if mine is a female or male?

[Newt]

The fringetree comes in a native version Chionanthus virginicus, and a Chinese version Chionanthus retusus.* The Chinese version has two races from what I've read.* If you don't have another tree nearby, it will be difficult to know if you have a male or a female.* If you see berries now but they will be tiny yet (they start green and turn black) then you have a female with a male nearby.* The birds gobble them up almost before you see them turn black!* :?* Males are supposed to have more showy flowers though mine doesn't seem to.* This first link is about the Chinese version.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2005Mar9.html
http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/CHIRETA.pdf

Here you can see the glossy leaves of the Chinese version.* The leaves of mine aren't shiny.
http://www.salisbury.edu/arboretum/C...Re/ChRhHM.html

The trees mentioned here are in Texas.
http://arboretum.sfasu.edu/plants/ch...usus/index.htm


The native Chionanthus virginicus:
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/p....asp?code=C120
http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/CHIVIRA.pdf
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrol...heet.cfm?ID=27

Newt

[DinaJean]

Running over to the property now to plant some oranges in the garden. If the slugs are there in the AM, what should I do with them?

[DinaJean]

Will the deer, rabbit, or squirrels eat the orange peels?

*

Fringe tree picture from the spring. It is now about 3 feet tall and happy happy looking green.

*

[Newt]

If the slugs are there you can give them a beer party with the cheapest beer you can find.* Even stale beer from leftovers works.* Use a disposable container and plop them into an inch or more of beer, depending on how many you find.* Squashing is always an option.* :shock:

I tend to use something like a margarine container that's about* 2 1/2" to 3" deep when setting out the beer traps with an inch of beer in it.* This site has some great organic ways of dealing with slugs.* You don't want to use anything toxic as toads, frogs and snakes love to eat slugs and toads and frogs are the most sensitive to pesticides of any beneficial in the garden.
http://www.ghorganics.com/page13.html

Great photo of your tree!* Lovely.* You might want to remove some of the turf around the base and add a ring of mulch.* I think I gave you sites on how to mulch trees.* You can purchase mulch in bags or in bulk.* Bulk is less expensive.

Newt

[Newt]

I forgot to answer this part.* It's my understanding that most mammals stay away from citrus so you should be fine.* Guess you'll know in the morning.* :?*

Newt

[DinaJean]

no slugs this am. found onlt 1 littlr bug, gray with a million legs and curls up when touched.* The ground was very wet this AM due to a late shower. Would that have affected the presence of slugs? Can I leave the oranges there for tonight?

*

Fringe tree: Removed some of the turf and added a little ground soil mixed with mushroom compost, then newspaper, then mulch. Mulch makes everything look so pretty.

[Newt]

Sounds like you found a millipede.* Is this what you saw?
http://www.pestcontrolcanada.com/INS...htm#MILLIPEDES

If not, may a pill bug or sow bug?* They're actually related to crabs and lobsters, but don't get out your fork yet!
http://www.pestcontrolcanada.com/INS...s_sow_bugs.htm

Unless you had lots and lots of them, they do no harm.

Go ahead and leave the orange peels for tonight, but I suspect it's not slugs.* Hmmm.* Not sure about the rain and the slugs though they do like it moist.


Great news about your fringe tree.** Do be sure the mulch and soil amendments aren't piled up against the trunk and you haven't added more then 3" combined so as not to smother the roots.

Newt