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What eats leaves and but not the leaf skeleton?
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Posted by DingBat 8 WestWA (My Page) on Sat, Jun 4, 05 at 19:36
| I know I've seen this one somewhere before but can't find it. I've Googled and searched this forum and didn't find it, maybe used the wrong search words. Anyhow, the most obvious victim is my eggplant in a pot. I'd like to figure out what it is and how to fight it without chemicals. I'll never have organic certified plants and vegetables I'm sure but I try to keep things as natural as possible. I'll sacrifice the eggplant if I must, but I sure would like to keep it alive. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: What eats leaves and but not the leaf skeleton?
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| I think the term you are looking for is leaf skeletonizer. Use Google for your research. There are many such critters! Have you seen any japanese beetles, yet? Some caterpillars, earwigs, and some beetles are examples of leaf skeletonizers. |
RE: What eats leaves and but not the leaf skeleton?
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- Posted by jean001 z8aPortland, OR (My Page) on
Sun, Jun 5, 05 at 18:07
| As it turns out, Japanese beetles don't yet reside in WA state. Beyond that, because your plants are in pots, you should be able to do a search-and-destroy mission with relative ease. Check during the daytime, also after 10 pm. |
RE: What eats leaves and but not the leaf skeleton?
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| We don't have Japanese beetles? Glad to hear that. I don't even know for sure what one looks like. I guess slugs could've done part of the damage but I didn't see any trails. All I know for sure is one day the plant was healthy and looking good and the next it was a wreck. I'll google japanese beetles, just in case, and will search on leaf skeletonizer. Thanks for the tips! I got 3 bags of coffee grounds and spread 2 of them around plants hoping it will deter slugs. Maybe it'll help the eggplant too, figuring it shouldn't hurt I gave it a good helping of coffee grounds too. It's my first real year for gardening in the ground and I'm simply in overload here on info. I've done so much searching and reading asking and trying to remember that I think I forgot most everything. I do not want to spray chemicals so it could be a few years of learning before I see good results in the reduction of plant destruction department. I can live with that. Again, thanks for the help! |
RE: What eats leaves and but not the leaf skeleton?
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| Well, it's dusky and raining so I went outside and checked carefully. On the leaves of the eggplant I found some critters (I want to call them worms but they aren't, more like a caterpillar) light green and about a half inch long. They got picked off and went for a nice warm, soapy bath. I'll be more diligent in checking for munchers. Thanks for the good advice. |
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