Loopers, nasty things will defoliate your bougainvillea toot sweet! They are on their second go at mine. The first time they defoliated them 100%. Armed with information (as a new Master Gardener), treated them with Bt. (Bacillus Thuringiensis). Take that loopers! It only works on worms, caterpillars. But it does work! and way less harmful than chemicals.

At our last place we had an apple that cross pollinated with our ornamental crab, two cherry trees and a self pollinating plum. I never did a drip line and they always did well. They were dwarf varieties. I never did get cherries or plums because the bird would always get them before they rippened. I'm in zone 5 though. What zone are you in that you need a drip system? I just mulched mine and watered really well. Young trees don't have far spreading roots. As they mature though the roots do spread very far and that is usually why a drip line works best in hot climate or dead of summer. Roots sit at about 3 or 4 feet deep. Here we have ferral and wild fruit trees on the property and most do very well that are healthy trees and I don't even water them since they're out in the pastures. Just water the tree deeply, not close to the trunk though and make sure water is getting at least 2 feet into the ground around the perimeter. I'm not sure 5 gallons will be enough if you live in a warmer climate. Of course it depends on the age of your trees or how many you have. When you do the basin method you don't have to water as frequently but it gets a deep watering. You can usually get away with once a week and the tree will do well and won't be stressed (or course depends on climate and variety).

Well that's a relief! They certainly don't look as friendly as they do as full grown lady bugs. Thanks all for your input! One more thing... I just took another peak at my plants and perhaps other critters are involved but I'm noticing the larvae seem to be lingering on/eating new growth and munching away at the leaf edges.

We tend to have the poisonous type, and though I love spiders, I do kill them if in the house just as a precaution. Had a heavy black widow infestation in the garage some years ago and worked very hard to rid them. Now I've one black widow who's made a home in my paver seating wall, and I leave her alone as she never bothers me. I really don't want to kill her as she kills other pests but visiting friends are hesitant to go near the seating wall, so she may have to go. ETA: I painted trompe l'oeil bricks on my office walls, with branches, and some blue tailed skinks as well as a couple spiders. No one sees the spiders them but me : )