Are they ladybugs?
These are the eggs below, along with some rust-like spots.
Above are the little ones.
And this is what they are doing to my precious fig tree. Yes, the fig tree that is figging.
I have cut off the affected leaves and put them in my weed bucket, which is just a bucket filled with water that I use to kill weeds.
I felt a bit mean actually.
I think the fig tree may have some issues.
18 comments:
Do you really want to know what they are or are you just telling us that you murdered them and looking for forgiveness? If it is the former, here is a good site to identify caterpillars: http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/faqs/ident.html
I can't do it because I can't get a good enough look at them. On the bright side, their little bodies will be reduced to fertilizer in your weed bucket. So their poor little iives were not taken in vain. :-)
Ali, my lady bug eggs were bright orange/yellow, and only a small group of them on the leaves at a time, not a big group like you have shown.......
mmm hopefully someone will know...?
I don't think they could be ladybugs. Ladybugs eat larvae and bugs. These are eating the leaves. I've never seen a ladybug do that. With such defoliation, a weed bucket wouldn't do for me. They need to be picked (the leaves with bugs on them) put into a plastic bag, and stepped on. You do not want to take a chance on them turning to a flying bug and getting out of the weed bucket. They would ruin your garden completely! Now having said all that, watch it be identified as a rare butterfly...
They are Sawfly larvae. Common on Figs at the end of autumn when the leaves are dying anyway before they drop off for winter. So if they are there now, the plant is languishing. OK: check drainage ... with this deluge the Fig could be suffering from wet feet. Figs are Mediterranean so they love the hot and dry. If you think it's too wet for it, dig it up and plant it well above ground. Figs are very forgiving plants in many way so re-planting it in another spot or a large bin or tub won't do it any harm if it's still small. Mine is growing in a 300 litre wicking bed and so far, so good.
Next is fertiliser: too much? Have you given it some chook crap lately? They need to be lean and mean or you get a million leaves and no fruit. Add some potash though, either a little on the soil or as a spray.
Not enough sun? Remember the Med - perfect drainage, lots of sun, not much fert.
The Brisbane Instects website will have pix to compare, www.brisbaneinsects.com/.
Hazel yes, the guilt lasted and lasted, and the 5 minutes of it was really quite harrowing indeed. Surely though water is a good way to go? They say it's very peaceful, so really, I've done them a favour. Thanks for the link :)
Suzanne, I haven't seen ladybugs grouped like that together either, but I have seen them in similar colours. When ladybugs kill...
Veggie Pak, don't the bad ladybugs eat leaves? I'm sure they eat my pumpkin leaves, I'll have to go and google it.
Elaine, I knew that you'd know :) half the time I should just email you rather than post on here! It would have to be the wet. I don't fertilise the fig, and it's in full sun, although whether it's been having a lot of sun lately is another question. Cripes, dig it up hey... I'll have a think about that one. The fruit won't make it if I dig it up hey.
!! Contrary to popular opinion, I do not know everything! ;-) Very sobering. Now, if you just emailed to me that's fine and I might even know the answer or an answer but then no one else would get to chime in. This way, anyone who wants to contribute can put their point of view or experience, much more democratic if that's the word.
Depends how big the Fig tree is, if you can handle the digging ... don't know about the fruit, if they are nearly ready then I wouldn't disturb it just yet. But if they are merely buds, then I'd dig if you have somewhere more suitable for it to grow. Meantime pick off the leaves as you have been and as Veggie Pak says, stomp on them for a quick death then into the rubbish bin. Alternative to digging might be to trench around it and add lots of sand or perlite or gravel to help with drainage. That's if it would help and I don't know if it would. Advice from a fruit-tree nursery might provide some insights too. Especially if you got it from someone you can get back into contact with.
Meant to say I love the red Canna in the header - very beautiful and you can if you want, use the roots like Queensland Arrowroot. Your photography is really excellent! :-)
Hi Ali; I can't contribute on the identifying caterpillars theme (and Elaine has provided the necessary expertise already). Just wanted to say: aren't those caterpillars METHODICAL? Once they start eating, they leave nothing behind. Mummy caterpillar (Madam Butterfly?) must be nagging them "Now come on dears, eat up your greens!)
Oh Mark, if only I could get the boys to hoover up their greens like that.
That's a lovely compliment Elaine, and it makes up for feeling like a complete numbnut out the front of my house juggling a cut flower and camera. Very entertaining for passersby I'm sure.
Definitely not ladybugs, but it looks like someone already IDed your problem. Those are some hungry little insects!
Aren't they little munching machines Eliza. I fear I may lose this battle.
Ali you won't lose this battle if you keep up the preventative measures! No Sawfly is tougher than Ali!
Pick off the affected leaves as you've been doing and dispose of the munchers, just do it each day until a viable alternative suggests itself.
You can give making a new plant a whirl - cut off a nice piece of wood from the tree, about pencil-thick or thicker. If you have some cutting hormone powder or gel, dip it in that. If not use honey or nothing. Put the cutting into damp potting mix/damp coir fibre/damp sand and put in a sheltered spot for a month or three. There should be roots growing after a while and you can start your new Fig tree in a pot and keep it in a large pot or bin to finally fix any problems there might be with drainage.
Oh Elaine you are just lovely :)
I didn't know I could grow a new fig tree from a cutting, I am absolutely going to give that a go. Actually that sounds like the most fabulous idea I've heard for a long time.
I chopped off some more leaves today, the actual branches and fruit look fine, but all the leaves are going to pot. From memory they did that quite early last year too, but I don't know what will happen with the fruit, because as we all know, the fruit got Felixed.
Thanks for the pep talk :)
How's yours going? You have a lot of fruit on yours too hey?
As others have said not ladybugs - or as we call them ladybirds.
If you are interested I have a video of a ladybird lifecycle that I put together on my website here It shows what baby ladybirds look like!
Hello Ali, have just been having a look around your blog .... love it!
Thanks for popping over to my coffee blog - and being the first follower - yay!
Have been reading all the comments on this post... such great advice.
I love figs .... um, I adore figs... actually, I'm crazy for figgies, so was distraught to read about the issues yours are having. Good luck with defending them.
Cheerio!
Thanks Green Lane and Susan :)
GL I will take a look at the ladybug (bird!), video, that sounds a bit fabulous!
Susan, thank you for your kind comments, do you know I've only once eaten a fresh fig?! That's terrible, isn't it. I so hope my tree survives, I had another look at it today and it's looking fine, I think the fruit is getting bigger, so that has to be a good sign, doesn't it?
And your coffee blog is hilarious, I can just see your morning routine in my mind!
Definitely Ali... that is a good sign :)
Just wait until you're standing there eating your own fresh fig... ah.... figS - I always plan to bring mine inside and bake them with honey, butter and other goodies, however, sadly, they don't seem to allow me to do that. They demand to be eaten then and there ;)
We're glad you enjoy our coffiness too ... Cheers!
Oh I can't wait to eat one! They are still looking good, a way to go yet though.
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