Something's eating my Nellie R Stevens Hollies

[Jo_RVer]

My Nellie R Stevens Hollies were planted last October (on Howard's advice) and are now about 3 to 4 feet tall. I have about 25 of them, all around my back yard.

When they first arrived, there were a few bites on a few leaves, but I thought it was probably a rabbit or something like that at the nursery where they were purchased.

Now, I have discovered that several have entire leaves eaten away.

Several leaves have fairly large bites, such as a small animal might do, but I did see one or two with a lacy appearance such as a bug might do.

I'm in Richardson, have a fenced yard, and have never seen anything larger than a squirrel in my yard.

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Jo

[khwoz]

From what you've posted, I suspect caterpillars of some sort. They continually eat the leaves making it look like a large animal took a bite & eventually they eat the whole leaf and/or move on to the next one. CK the link below for info. If you search the forum & the home page you will find a lot of answers to your questions.

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=11

[Jo_RVer]

Ok, thanks.

Why do you think I'm not seeing anything?

Do they hide in the daytime and come out to eat at night?

I did do a search to read about Nellie's, but didn't find anything about what bugs find them attractive.

Lots of good stuff about why they are a great plant, however.

In fact, that was one of the reasons I thought they were recommended so often for a hedge plant... that they are almost bug resistant... but I guess not these little guys.

Thanks again,

Jo
.

[sandih]

Can you post an image of one of the leaves? Does it look like you took a hole-punch to it? Perfectly rounded edges? If so, I'm guessing leaf-cutter bees that use those bits of leaves for their nests. They do the same on roses. It's temporary and seasonal. Post an image if you can.

[Jo_RVer]

sandih wrote: Can you post an image of one of the leaves? Does it look like you took a hole-punch to it? Perfectly rounded edges? If so, I'm guessing leaf-cutter bees that use those bits of leaves for their nests. They do the same on roses. It's temporary and seasonal. Post an image if you can.

No... it's more ragged than that.

I did take some photos but couldn't get an in-focus one because of the wind.

Later today, I'll snip a leaf to bring inside and try again.

Thanks very much!

Jo

[Jo_RVer]

sandih wrote: Can you post an image of one of the leaves? Does it look like you took a hole-punch to it? Perfectly rounded edges? If so, I'm guessing leaf-cutter bees that use those bits of leaves for their nests. They do the same on roses. It's temporary and seasonal. Post an image if you can.
OK, I'm back.

I didn't know the best way to post an image, so I used a page on my own website.

If you go to the link below, you'll see three "thumbnails" (Just click on a "thumbnail" to pop up a large image), one of bug bites on the Nellie R Stevens, one with white or "crispy" looking leaves, and one which I hope is healthy... the smallest of all, covered with blooms.

http://www.campingandrving.com/rvingsingles/



Thanks for taking a look!

Jo

[Jo_RVer]

Maybe the reason I’ve found so little information is that the Cranberry Weevil has been considered a problem only for cranberry and blueberry growers in the North East.

But... from what I've read recently, that may not be the case for much longer.

According to Texas Cooperative Extension, at:

http://citybugs.tamu.edu/IntheNews_Details.asp?ID_Key=429

"Though poorly studied in Texas, the cranberry weevil is the most likely cause of mysterious curved holes that appear overnight on tender, new holly foliage."



Other facts I’ve just learned:

- It is so difficult to control that it can cause the loss of entire crops of cranberries or blueberries.

- The only effective control is so toxic that the grower must obtain a "Crisis Exemption" to even buy it.

- It looks a bit like a flea, and is not much larger. When disturbed, it rolls up and drops to the ground, making it difficult to find.

A good write-up, complete with photos, is here:

http://www.umaine.edu/umext/cranberries/cweevil.htm

The photo below, from the above website, is titled:

A pair of cranberry weevils crawling along the top of a baby food jar.

[sandih]

I would mix up some Bioform (seaweed & fish emulsion) or Garrett Juice and spray everything, including the underside of the leaf, every 2 weeks.

[Jo_RVer]

Do you really think it would do any good?

I've about come to the conclusion that, if this really is the "Cranberry Weevil", then it's pretty much a hopeless situation and I should turn to the landscaper to honor his contract.

And he, in turn, should go back to the nursery where he bought them... and where the infestation surely occurred.

I went out tonight with a flashlight, but, probably due to the way the wind was whipping the leaves around, was able to find only one suspect... and I let him get away from me. Otherwise I would have brought him in to photograph.

He was dark reddish brown and looked like those Cranberry Weevils marching around a baby food jar lid, but he was much bigger than I expected... probably more than twice as big as those on the jar lid.

I'm not anxious to make a big fuss with the landscaper, but this is sure not what I paid him for.

[sandih]

If you can get them replaced, then obviously do it. If not, then I have found the Bioform to be a good general pest repellant and it foliar feeds the plant. It certainly can't hurt.

[Dirt Doctor]

Assuming this really really is cranberry weevil damage, it is disturbing to to see the toxic chemicals being recommended by these people. Compost tea. Garrett Juice, neem, Plant Wash and the various plant oil products will work. If the beast is actually leafcutting bee, the control is harder because that is a hit and run insect.

[Jo_RVer]

All the evidence seems to point to the cranberry weevil.

The damage doesn't look like what sandih described earlier as leafcutting bee damage.

It does look EXACTLY like the leaf in the photo from tamu (that I posted yesterday). My own photographs, posted earlier, are of the worst examples I could find, where leaves have hardened, but the tender new leaves look exactly like the tamu photo.

I've found several grubs that look like what I saw described on one of the articles I found.

They are so small I can't even get a good photograph, but, using a magnifying glass, I'd describe them as white with a yellowish tinge, a fuzzy head, about the diameter of a piece of sewing thread, and about 1/10 of an inch long.

They move by doubling up like an inch worm and stand on their tail at the edge of a leaf... which I guess indicates they are "legless" as the articles say, although due to their size I certainly can't verify their lack of legs.

The only thing that doesn't match is that the beetle I found (last night after dark) was much bigger than those in the photographs. Of course, it's possible he was an innocent, just passing by.

It dropped away as soon as I touched the leaf, so I can't be absolutely sure, but from the brief look I got, I thought it looked like the cranberry weevils in the photos.

I couldn't find another, but the wind was blowing so hard it may have knocked them off, and it also made the search difficult.

OK... I'll go shopping for one or more of the products you mentioned.

Since, according to the articles, these bugs drop down to hide in the soil during the daytime, would it also be a good idea to use one of the soil products you've mentioned, such as the Beneficial Nematodes?

Thanks Dirt Doctor, and thanks, Sandih

CJ

[Jo_RVer]

Here is a photo an entire shrub. As you can see, there is a lot of damage, to the point that I'm getting concerned about the life of the shrubs.

There are 32 of them, and all are affected.

A thumbnail that will pop up to a larger size photo is here:

http://www.rvingsingles.com/

As soon as the noon traffic clears, I'm off (with a good sized branch) to North Haven Gardens to see what they have to say.

When I asked if it would be a good idea to use a soil treatment, I meant "also", not "instead" of the products Howard mentioned. The plants are in such bad shape that I'm thinking I need to move fast with all possible remedies.

[sandih]

I thought you were going to take the issue up with the landscaper?

[Jo_RVer]

sandih wrote: I thought you were going to take the issue up with the landscaper?
I've tried... but no response so far.

In the meantime, the problem is getting worse, so I've got to go ahead and do what I can.

If North Haven Gardens has the products Howard recommended in his message yesterday, and the cost isn't too awfully high, I'll go ahead with the treatment and take it up with the landscaper later.

If I can get some of the "fish" product you recommended, I'll try that too ... in a different area of the yard, of course.

I have plenty of opportunities for comparison tests!