Knowing where you are might help. Some of that damage looks like from something bigger than an insect. If kept outside on that table, and if it is an insect, the critter may still be lurking about. Look under the pots, poke around a bit in the soil and look in the nooks and crannies of the plant.

tj

Thanks tj. Pretty sure it isn't a critter, unless it is squirrels (which I am pretty sure it isn't). Our back yard is completely fenced, and the problem started on a patio dining type table my wife uses for plants. The sheared off leaf is the result of maybe 4 or 5 episodes.

Area - Between Los Gatos CA and San Jose Ca - (Silicon Gulch). Ha.

Thanks tj. Pretty sure it isn't a critter, unless it is squirrels (which I am pretty sure it isn't). Our back yard is completely fenced, and the problem started on a patio dining type table my wife uses for plants. The sheared off leaf is the result of maybe 4 or 5 episodes.

Area - Between Los Gatos CA and San Jose Ca - (Silicon Gulch). Ha.

It may be a cut worm. They hide just below the soil surface during the day and do their damage at night. They are usually brownish and fat and about an inch long.

Bob

Could be chipmunk, squirrel, even mice (I have seen mouse nibbling on succulent), sometimes a slug - but slugs probably leave 'slimy trail' so it's easier to identify. Just guessing...

SmittyOne!

My vote goes to SNAILs. They do this to mine, even when I think I'm being careful to watch for them. Need the snail bait. They come at night! They ate the very 1st, one & only, bud I had growing on my Epi. Not happy!

Have to agree with rosemariero. Mine is like this as well! I kept it on the ground one summer and those holes are still in the leaves 2 years later. Judging from your pic, your plant will be just fine. It has a lot of new growth coming. Try, if you can, get a copper saucer and sit The plant in it. Slugs and snails can't touch copper. To them it is the equivalent of biting on aluminium foil when you have a filling in your tooth, it creates an electric charge.

Thanks Folks! Got it solved. Our local nursery provided the answer. She said that she has some Epiphyllums, and had a problem with leaf borers, so she just used insecticidal soap. that stopped it cold.

Thanks again. Great forum.

I didn't know leaf borers would chew the holes; they leave 'tunnels' in the leaves, see photo attached. They are inside of the leaves as name suggests (borers). There are no holes left, the damaged tissue is still there, paper-like.

I could be wrong, but still think that is slug damage. Insecticidal soap might have helped probably because of it taste? (If that's the case. they will be baaaack...once the soap washes off).
Look up leaf borer damage photos on net, you hardly see any holes or edges of leaves chewed off. Then check on slug damage.

Rina

This post was edited by rina_ on Fri, Jun 28, 13 at 15:42

According to our nursery expert, she has Epiphyllum Curly Locks, and it is an insect (sorry, I don't do Latin names), and don't remember what she called it. Said it takes the parts that it chews out, and uses it for nesting, as well as food. It is a flying insect. I suspect that, like humans, not all leaf borers are alike. Ha. Anyway, when it cools down, (90 Degrees, F outside, right now, noon, Silicon Gulch) I am going to hit the leave with insecticidal soap. That'll teach 'em, the little buggers!

I am not an expert, that's why I said 'could be wrong'. I would like to know - if possible - what insect your nursery expert id-ed it as - one could learn something new every day.

If it was me, I would put a little saucer (shallow) with beer in it next to the plant and see if there is any drowned slugs...they love beer. If no slugs after a while, that would at least eliminate them.

Should you be able to get name of the insect from nursery, could you pls. let us know?

Thnx. Rina

Insecticidal soap is a contact killer, not a systemic, and so not effective with your disappearing flying insect. Unless you hit the insect with it (or its eggs), it will do no good.

tj

My laptop went down a while ago (no, I will NOT say "crashed"), so I can't access pix to show you. Found tiny worm (borer) on my Kalanchoe 'Fantastic' & also in Crassula (Budha's Temple?). Both cases, the borer was eating on the inside of leaves-and you don't notice the damage till it's too late! You actually have to inspect your plants closely to even discover the holes (except when leaves are keeling over). Snails, on the other hand, make gouges, with a wide path of eating destruction, as on your plant.

It wouldn't hurt to put a shallow dish of stale beer (yours or partying neighbor's leftovers in a can?) out next to your plant. See what happens!

Thanks for all the info. I finally got the gal at the nursery to admit she didn't have a Curly Locks, and didn't have the faintest what to do about our problem. We have joined the Cacti and Succulents Society here in San Jose, and the first meeting is at 12:30, on 7th of July. We can take the plant in, and get some GOOD advice (not that yours wasn't, mind you), but once they are able to see it, maybe have some more suggestions. I have noticed that since we used the systemic, there hasn't been any more damage. Either that, or I stabbed whatever was in the pot when I put in the moisture detector spike lo, these many times to check if it needed watering. Ha. Thanks again.

WARNING: Not for the faint of heart. Ugly mess ahead. :(

Found some of my pix...hope to give examples , maybe helping you determine pest.

First, one of my Crassula (stacked type). I had NO clue anything was wrong with it till the top fell off it when I picked up the pot. The borer had gone thru the stem all the way down the plant! You can see the tiny worm in the pinch of my tweezers & all the perforated leaves (once perforated by stem, now eaten through by borer)!!

Click pix for larger views:
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Now...onto another time, with a different plant...a small Kalanchoe 'Fantastic', that I finally found & bought. First found down near base of leaves looked weird. Two weeks later, come to find giant holes eaten through! Several leaves fell off, having been eaten at the base. I found the borer (worm) & evicted it. Happy to say the plant is (slowly) recovering.

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Now for my Epi...my sister gave me cuttings...I stuck in a pot & forgot about. I did see some snail damage early, but it wasn't too bad. Then a new stock grew (red one) & it got attacked by the snails. A bud started growing. I was excited about that. Short-lived, it died.
I forgot about it once again. Snails had a feast! I'm a bad Mama! One bright note...last pic...a new nub is showing. Maybe have another chance ~new stem!

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