I have no idea what it could be. I am about to use ortho systemic in mine. I have too many to spray each one individually. If you go with a systemic you have to rotate them though or they will get immune to them. Are you sure its not all this wind just shredding them? Bayer makes a good all in one spray also.

Hi Jan
I'm in Austin and we're had terrible crazy wind here. My brugs are very sheltered but some of my other plants have had wind damamge.

Was the bug perhaps an assassin bug? Below is a link that might be helpful. About half-way down the page is an orange/red one with black legs. I see them all the time but they don't hurt the plants, they prey on other insects I think. I always leave them alone.

In fact I've given up on chemicals altogether. I've noticed more assassin bugs, frogs, lizards (but we've always had tons of those) salamanders (ew) and toads. It's actually kind of cool and the kids love it. I'd forgotten how cool bugs are when you're 5.

Here is a link that might be useful: assassin bug pics

Are these assassin bugs? Someone told me they were and they ate all my fruit of my pomagranates. I was really ticked off since I wasnted to spray them but someone said no they are eating the bad bugs. Looked to me like they had their snouts stuck down in the fruit sucking the juice out.

{{gwi:504309}}

That's it, an assassin bug will keep an eye on the critter.
My leaves were shredded and half eaten before the winds came and yesterday afternoon while I was inspecting them again, found a grasshopper - yuck. Will Bayer Systemic get rid of them? Even my plumeria leaves are under attack
but apparently they don't like gingers, they're ok.
Thanks
Jan

I don't believe those are assissin bugs. They look more like stinkbug nymps (shield bug) whick look very much like assassin bugs but are BAD! It's hard to tell the difference but the assissin bug has a thin black thorax.
Karyn

Here is a link that might be useful: assassin bug pics

Thanks Karyn, wow the shield bug close up makes it look like some thing from out of space. Late yesterday when I went out again looking I found a grasshopper enjoying his dinner of my brug leaves - grrrr. Guess I'll have to find out how to get rid of them now.
Jan

Jan, I've seen grasshoppers nibbling on my brugs before also, but I was thinking I'd always seen that in the fall and not this time of year. Who knows though with the crazy weather! The majority of the shredding like you're describing I bet is probably slug and snail damamge. It's like you never see them, but that's what it is. I think they must do most of their munching at night while we're sleeping. I'm going the same route as Shelly and not doing any chemicals. Well, I'll never give up chemical fertilizer but chemical pesticides on plants are out of here. I've had some holy leaves but am just pulling them off and hoping for the best.

I haven't used pesticides for years and have very few insect problems during the growing season. The slugs are horrible this year because of all the rain. The DE keeps getting washed away. Other then that I really don't have anything that's out of control. There's some nibbling here and there from beetles and those disgusting earwigs but the ladybugs and lacewings have taken care of any sucking insects. I haven't seen any mantises yet but know they're around because of the empty egg cases.
Karyn

I have been trying to avoid the pesticides but my plants are looking terrible. If I can make it to the other town to get some ladybugs I might try that instead. I keep forgetting. Between the mealy bugs, aphids, and everything else I can't get rid of them all. Do ladybugs eat mealy bugs?

Ladybugs and lacewings will feed on all sucking insects and if you can get them to lay eggs that's even better because the larvae are voracious insect eaters. Ladybug eggs are yellow to orange ovals laid directly on the leaf or stem, usually in clusters and the lacewing eggs are small while ovals suspended on a thin stalk. Lacewing eggs are very distinctive but ladybug eggs look like the eggs of a lot of beetles.
Karyn

All righty then. Ladybugs it is. Someone email me tomorrow and remind me before I go to Killeen, lol. If hubby goes with me he won't let me near the nursery, lol. I want to go get my pond. I just saw 2 hundred gallon ones and the waterfalls to join them I am waiting on an email from. If I can get those and they are in good shape I would have a lot more left over for other stuff. Wish me luck.

All the bugs I am finding, are getting fed to the chicken! I had a tomato horn worm yesterday that was about 3 inches long and about 1/2 inch in diameter! the chicken loved him. She wants more. LOL poor little worm didn't know what hit him.

I'd get some chickens, but we're not allowed to have them or any other farm animals. May have to go the lady bug route which is fine too.