Hello, Last year my Hollyhocks got eaten up until the leaves looked like lace. I had sprayed some commercial stuff on it that had a vegetable oil base, but it didn't help much. I planted again and the seedlings have come up, but I'm afraid the same critters will eat them up this year as well. Anyone have a suggestion? Thanks, DeeAnn Gillispie
Hi Dee Ann, Sounds like you had a visit by the Hibiscus sawfly. Is this what your leaves looked like? http://ipm.ncsu.edu/current_ipm/01PestNews/01News13/hibswf1.jpg Here's the caterpillar that lives on the undersides of the leaves. http://ipm.ncsu.edu/current_ipm/01PestNews/01News13/hibswf3.jpg I'm finding conflicting information about the use of Bt to kill the caterpillars. One site I found said that it doesn't work on this particular type of caterpillar. Another site recommends a fungicide and others recommend the use of Sevin. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THE USE OF SEVIN or any other poisons. I would suggest that you look for the caterpillars on the underside of the leaves starting in May and shake them into soapy water to drown or squash the cocoons. http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plantoftheweek/articles/hollyhock.asp http://www.wuvie.net/hockdiseases.htm http://ipm.ncsu.edu/current_ipm/01PestNews/01News13/ornament.html Here is info on Sevin. http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/carbaryl-dicrotophos/carbaryl-ext.html Newt
