Bug Problem / No Latex when pin poked

17 years ago

Hi All,

So here is a new problem for me...My Plumerias have been doing great and thriving the last several years, but this year all of the sudden my plants have been hit with a swarm of bugs that I haven't been able to identify anywhere! The closest thing they look like are "jewel borers" but the thing is there are no puncture wounds to the stems, no obvious soft spots, no spotted leaves so to me it doesn't look like they are doing anything to them...BUT...these bugs will not leave my plants alone and for whatever reason this year my plants have been REALLY slow to grow and thrive, so I really started to get worried! ( The only thing I've been able to find about pests and Plumerias is related to Long-Horned Beetles, Mites, Slugs, and Grasshoppers) I've gone ahead and sprayed my plants anyways with a Neem insecticide just to be safe...Oh and did I mention I did the old "pin" test?? Half of my plants were fine and oozed the latex, the other half, NOTHING!!! Ok, now I'm panicking! Since you all are in the same boat as me, you know how much I've invested in this little pastime of mine! (And if you don't just ask my husband, he'll be glad to tell you) So now here's another question, the plants that DIDN'T ooze latex, I keep cutting the stems down until the stems pour out latex?? What if it never does but the tissue inside is nice and soft and green? The plant is obviously still alive right?? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated right about now because I REALLY don't want to lose half of my Plumies!

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Comments (5)

peanut01
17 years ago
Hi I have something similar to what I see in this picture on my Plumies in the same location. The only bug that I noticed on one of my Plumeria was a Ladybug. This Ladybug stuck around the same plant for about 4 days and I did not recall seeing those spots before the Ladybug was there. I was thinking that the Ladybug was either laying eggs or eating something.

I haven't seen anymore bugs but am now wondering if I have Ladybug eggs or if those are bugs. I will certainly follow this post to see what the experts say.
dewaine_2008
17 years ago
Hi Joanna,

What you have there is a Glassy Winged Sharpshooter. I've been told they don't harm plumeria. I find it hard to believe that they kill plumerias closest relatives and leave plumeria unharmed though. I control them as best I can here.

Where abouts in So. Cal. are you?

Dewaine

Here is a link that might be useful: Glassy Winged Sharpshooter
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joanna427
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks Dewaine so much for identifying the bugs for me! You have no idea how long I've been trying to figure out what these little boogers are!! I guess it's good that they're not "known" to hurt Plumerias, but like you I will still spray with Insecticidal Soap just in case. Now to my next problem...WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THE LATEX SITUATION?? I HAVE ALREADY PRUNED SOME OF MY PLANTS BECAUSE I KEPT CUTTING BACK AND CUTTING BACK LOOKING FOR THE LATEX TO FINALLY OOZE OUT AND IT NEVER DID, BUT THE TISSUE INSIDE IS ALL NICE AND GREEN AND SOFT, JUST NO LATEX. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THE STEMS ARE A LITTLE SOFT, BUT I JUST THINK THAT'S BECAUSE I HAVEN'T WATERED THEM FOR A WEEK..ANY HELP OR INSIGHT WOULD BE APPRECIATED! THANKS!!!
elladog
17 years ago
There's a film about the glassy-winged sharpshooter from the Univ. of California, available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJF9BaxwXBI. It tells about how the insect damages some species of plants by spreading a disease-causing bacterium.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter on YouTube
astrl
17 years ago
I don't know that the plants have to ooze latex. I had a cutting I was trying to root and it got squishy. I thought it had root rot and stuck a pin in it in several different places. No latex. So I cut it. It was still healthy! I was so mad at myself.

All I can say is don't be too quick to judge. Good luck!

Marsha