JOIN NOW LOG IN
iVillage GardenWeb iVillage GardenWeb THE INTERNET'S GARDEN & HOME COMMUNITY ADVERTISEMENT
Blogs
Garden Voices
Forums
Garden Forums Home Forums Nature Forums
Photo Galleries
Garden Galleries Home Galleries
Ask The Experts Tools & Directories
Organization Directory Events Calendar Hortiplex Glossary Zone Finder Garden Bazaar
       
Return to the Integrated Pest Management Forum | Post a Follow-Up

o
how to treat for (possibly) leafminers

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings
Posted by TansyJane 7 (My Page) on
Tue, May 31, 05 at 18:28

This spring my hollyhocks are infested with an odd flying insect that I'm tentatively id'ing as some kind of leafminer (based on a few hours of reading and using various insect id keys). Unfortunately, I can't find a picture online to match what I have, and I don't have a zoom lens so any picture I post would probably not be helpful. In any case, I do think I need to rid my hollyhocks of these things, and I'm wondering how to go about it. My plan was to spray soapy (dishsoap) water on the leaves, but the garden center I went to after a mister was out, so I bought a supposedly organic spray called 'Flower Pharm' that includes cottonseed, rosemary, and cinnamon oil, among other things. Now my problem is that when I went out to spray, I saw some aphid looking creatures (except larger, and brown, and with incredibly long proboscises) and one brave ladybug, whom I'm counting on to at least eat up the aphid-like creatures. Now I just don't know what to do. I'm leaning toward taking a wait and see approach, but I'll be so sad if I don't get some hollyhocks --- I've waited two whole years!! Anyway, I'd appreciate any advice --- thanks!

Follow-Up Postings:

o
RE: how to treat for (possibly) leafminers

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

You need some help with identification before we can help with control measures. Do you see leaf miner damage? Aphids are aphids, though they come in a wide variety of colors....they basically look the same. Are what you saw weevils, perhaps? As in the hollyhock weevil?

Here is a link that might be useful: hollyhock weevil

o
RE: how to treat for (possibly) leafminers

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

If you do have leaf miners once hte eggs have been layed inside the leaf or the larva have hatched and are tunneling through the leaf there is nothing you can do except squish the larva between two fingers. There is a wasp that parasitizes these larva and there is a wasp that will grab and eat ma fly that lays the eggs, but until the larva matures and drops out of the leaf nothing you can get, inject, spray, or apply to the leaf surface will touch that larva.

o
RE: how to treat for (possibly) leafminers

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

Definitley sounds like hollyhock weevils with the long proboscus. The best way to get rid of the weevils is to diligently hand-pick them off the flowers every day. Then one day they are all gone! I think insecticidal soap helps too.
JT

  
 

 

 


Click here to learn more about in-text links on this page.



iVillage GardenWeb: The Internet's Garden & Home Community
Join | Garden Forums | Home Forums | Exchanges & Trading | Member Pages | Contact Us
© 2006 iVillage Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Policies FAQ | Advertising
  
  iVillage Home & Garden Network