Knowledgebase

insects eating entire garden at night #657596

Asked June 29, 2020, 12:44 PM EDT

it arrives in am and holes in leaves of vega and flowers...not japanese beetle..soil is full of bentonite...can’t afford to replace soil and i hear bentonite clay returns. HELP, Annie

Denver County Colorado

Expert Response

With respect to your sweet peas, there does appear to be some minor insect damage. However, I think the main thing going on is that peas are a cool season crop and we have reached the end of the season here in the Denver area. They are most likely succumbing to the heat of summer.

 

Tomatoes are prone to a lot of different problems. It can be hard to determine what exactly is going on without a diagnostic test. Other than the stub of a stem in the upper part of the photo, I don’t see evidence of physical damage, holes or chewing on the plant. I can’t tell if the missing branch broke off or wilted and withered. If it is the latter, it could be some type of virus or canker. The only way to tell for sure is to submit a sample to a diagnostic clinic. The leaves, by and large, appear to be green without sign of insect damage or significant yellowing or other discoloration. They do appear a bit wilted and are curling. I notice that the tomato is growing in a container and the soil looks really dry.   Moisture issues can lead to leaf curl and wilting.   Getting consistent moisture in container tomatoes can be a challenge.  

I am attaching a link to a CSU Extension Fact Sheet on tomato problems. It describes a lot of different tomato issues and their associated symptoms. You may be able to see something on the plant that I am not seeing in the photo.

https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/recognizing-tomato-problems-2-949/

 

The remaining photo appears to be an ornamental plant, maybe a zinnia. It’s difficult to say what exactly is causing the damage. It could be an insect. It could also be a bird or other animal. There does not appear to be a telltale pattern to the damage. And I don’t see any sign of honeydew or frass on the leaves. You might try spraying the plants with insecticidal soap to see if that stops whatever is causing the damage. Insecticidal soap will not harm pollinators.  

An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 30, 2020, 5:51 PM EDT

Loading ...