Forum home› Plants

Echium Pininana leaves in shreds

Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 2,296
in Plants
I was extremely pleased at how my three Echiums were progressing until a few days ago I couldn't help but notice the leaves are virtually eaten away covered in holes. All I was able to find on one of them was the very smallest green caterpillars. Have never had this problem before. There must have been a lot more of these caterpillars at one time to cause so much damage but they seem to have disappeared now. Maybe the recent slightly milder weather brought them out of hiding? Any ideas as to where they came from and what they are? Many thanks for any suggestions especially to prevent them from returning. 
«13

Posts

  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    Just a guess Fran.  Sawfly caterpillars are tiny and green and can strip a plants leaves to a skeleton quite quickly.
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,307
    edited January 2019
    Commiserations Fran, there are dozens of different ones. We had rose sawfly and some others last year, spoiled several stems on roses, clematis and a few other things.
    I suspect the clematis ones came in on new plants.

    http://www.wildlifeinsight.com/sawfly-caterpillars-or-larvae/
    Not sure how you combat them if they are except try and find and look out for the adults too.
    I had seen the particular yellow fly versions in my blow away and around the garden didn't think anything of it until I looked up the "caterpillar".

    Constant vigilance and kill the flying ones so they can't lay eggs I guess. And look out for those tell tale stems with long swellings and splits in, they are not always obvious at first.

    I should have said also killing the caterpillars if you notice helps. We had less on our Solomans seal since I learned what they were. Birds do not seem to eat them so I wear gloves and close my eyes. Also the others were squished too. Yuck, and I feel cruel a bit.
  • Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 2,296
    Thanks for responding @Kitty 2. I forgot to mention that I had only found two and you could well be right looking at the state of the leaves. I shall have another look when I go to the allotment this afternoon. I googled it and they tell you how to identify a sawfly larvae compared to a caterpillar. Can't say I fully understand it.  :(. Many thanks  :)
  • Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 2,296
    Hi @Rubytoo. Your post came through when I was replying above. Many thanks for all your advice. Can't understand where they come from as they didn't trouble me last year.
    Not familiar with them at all. Shall do some more googling and see if I am any the wiser. I am new to all this so obviously have a lot to learn! 

  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,307
    edited January 2019
    Mine too and I didn't see yours. I always take too long posting :D I did it the other day answered the phone came back and half dozen people had responded, mid edit I felt a fool.
    Kittys suggestion seems the most likely though other pests are available.


    There are so many different ones and they are not necessarily single host plants they cross over. I have to put my big girl glasses on and check what is eating a salvia in my blow away, I suspect one of the above I missed.

    Also I forgot to check what they do as they must pupate, some make little webs some go to ground.  So on plants look for little bunched up webs in stem and leaf joints or rolled up leaves with web.

    Good Luck
  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    Agree with Ruby, there's loads of different ones. If you google 'sawfly' there seems to be one for almost every type of plant you could imagine 😵.

    I had them on my raspberries in 2017 and noticed that when I tried to pick them off they dropped to the ground, like little leaping lemmings. I gave up.

    Good luck with your research Fran 👍
    We're all still learning 🌱😊
  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    Ha ha 😄  SNAP Ruby, it happens to me all the time.
    Superfast touch typers 'snuckering in' as I'm poking at my tablet screen one fingered 😆.
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,307
    Worrying thing is I use a keyboard :D
    Kitty 2 said:
    I had them on my raspberries in 2017 and noticed that when I tried to pick them off they dropped to the ground, like little leaping lemmings. I gave up.

    Good luck with your research Fran 👍
    We're all still learning 🌱😊

    Was it the raspberries or sawfly you gave up on?

  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    A bit of both Ruby 😳
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,307
     Oh dear. Well good luck to you too, may 2019 be the year of the Raspberry and not sawfly. :)
Sign In or Register to comment.