Can anyone help me find out what to buy for a three year old dwarf cherry tree that has been assaulted by some kind of insect that eats only new growth. All of the new leaves at the end of the branches have turned dark and are covered by small bugs that look like dirt. Thank you, Darlene
Ask a local nursery for advice, because they'll have the best idea of what bugs they might be and can suggest the right remedy (which they may have available).
small bugs that look like dirt? could be frass (bug poop), possibly from a caterpiller? try to unfurl any rolled leaves and look for small cocoons, or any other signs of insect life.
I cut off some of the new growth and put the leaves in a bag to take to a nursery. These miniscule bugs crawled out of the bag could not be frass, but thankyou for your reply as I learned a new word. Is Frass in the dictionary, I wonder? Darlene
Thank you for your reply, I am going to take the leaves to a nursery tomorrow. I just love this dwarf cherry tree. I ate the first cherry off of it today. The cherries are yellow and red. I planted it close to a sidewalk so the children could eat cherries on their way to school. It is only three years old, the nursery gave me my money back as I was walking out of the door with it as he said it was probably not going to grow. It is beautiful until these bugs hit it. Thank you, Darlene
any chance of a photo of these little beasts? most tiny insects are suckers, not chewers, I am curious to see if we can figure out who it is and what damage it may be doing...
