devouring my datura plant

16 years ago

y datura is constantly being eaten by some insect which I cannot see but the signs of which are all over the chomped up leaves. It is flowering quite well, and growing new leaves, but still the many parts of the plant is naked and many leaves are consumed. I am attaching a picture.

Any idea of what insect this might be?

(my roses seem to have the same problem, but only recently).

Thank you for your help

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Comments (3)

oilpainter
16 years ago
Sounds and looks like slugs to me. Slugs are night feeders. Take a flashlight out after dark and see if that's what it is. Slugs leave a slime trail which you can see glistening in early morning. Safer's slug and snail bait will take care of the problem
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
A very common pest of datura is the tobacco (or tomato) hornworm. Check carefully for those large caterpillars. After you look for slugs.

Of course, it won't be the hornworm on the roses. You might have different pests on the two plants. Slugs can be found on almost any kind of plant. You really shouldn't be able to miss those glistening slime trails, though.
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jean001
16 years ago
I strongly suspect a caterpillar of some sort rather than slugs. (If slugs, they're *very* hungry.) Some caterpillars feed at night, so look then also.