Black droppings

14 years ago

Hi guys

I'm new in the gardening. We've just finished our backyard a couple of weeks ago and I obviously was too slow to get ready for the bugs.

I have three of these plants in my backyard and they all look the same (attached screenshot).

There are these black droppings on almost all leaves and some of the leaves are curled. In some areas I can also see some webs.

I tried to spray and wash it of with soapy water but there are just too many and a few days later it looks the same.

What kind of bug is it and what would you recommend me to do to safe these plants?

I would prefer the organic way and don't really want to use chemicals but if it's the last chance than I'm OK with it.

I honestly don't know what kind of plants they are but in the first few days it had some yellow bells on it.

(I have higher resolution pictures if needed).

Thanks for your help for a beginner without a green thumb yet.

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Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
top pic.. 2 o'clock.. webs..

spider mites??

get a piece of paper.. and shake the limb over it.. see if you see some specks moving around...

whats the plant???

ken
ThoFue
Original Author
14 years ago
The plants should be Arizona yellow bells.
As soon as I'm out of work I will try the paper.

Do spider mites produce those droppings? The droppings look like poop so they don't move.

But as you said I see some of these webs. I read online that mites don't like it wet so I sprayed my plants with water.

Thanks to any hints how to get rid of everything to get my plants back to life.
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
14 years ago
They are poop. Looks like some pretty major leaf miner damage to me. I also see some evidence ( second picture, 7 o 'clock) of the kind of webbing associated with leaf rollers of some sort. Maybe spider mites, too.
ThoFue
Original Author
14 years ago
I looked online for pics of leaf rollers and it looks pretty much how my plants look like.

Any recommendation on how to get rid of these leaf rollers.
Of course I googled it and the most give 'BT' as an chemical solution.

How would you guys treat this damage?
jean001a
14 years ago
With all that debris - poopy stuff -- plus the skeletonization of the leaves, I suggest that caterpillars of one sort or another are the major problem.

Looks like it's too late for Bt or anything else this season. To be effective, Bt must be applied before the caterpillars are half-grown.
ThoFue
Original Author
14 years ago
So does that mean the plants are dead? You said 'this season' so should I just cut the dead leaves off or leave it?

What exactly should I do now?
jean001a
14 years ago
It's the end of the season. Time to tidy up. cut off the damaged stems then await a new growth cycle next year.