Hi! I have a flower garden planted next to an old wooden shed.Every summer my sedum(autumn joy) and lady's mantle leaves get chewed from outer leaves inward. My japanese anemone, columbine, heuchera and peren. geraniums don't get eaten. No sign of slugs-thought it was earwigs but set traps and no sign. Any ideas? I have cats&dogs so don't use any chemicals for pest control. I feed with compost and sometimes fish fertilizer. Thanks for help, Sue:)
I have Lady Mantle and Earwigs nearby in my Ligularia dentata, they don't bother the Lady's Mantle, in fact I don't have anything eating mine, I am also curious as to what is eating yours. I have grasshoppers galore and they don't eat it either, and they eat almost anything. Janet
Hi Janet ! Thanks for responding. I don't know either but I'll keep you posted. I haven't seen any grasshoppers here at all-I do have masses of sow-bugs because of the rotting wood of shed but I understand that they only eat the decayed matter of wood and soil? (they're grey, armadillo-like shells and found under decaying logs & large rocks.) Have I got my sow-bugs confused with another bug? Thanks, Sue
You are quite right, they only eat decaying matter and if that is where you found them they are probably sow bugs (I've called them wood bugs since I could talk) we had an old (100yr+) old wood house and those things were everywhere. I also have slugs and they don't touch the Lady's Mantle either. Hmmm... any one out their have any insect problems with Alchemilla mollis or Lady's Mantle? Janet
Pillbugs can and will eat growing plants so if you've got those go out at night with a flashlight and see if they're the culprits. HTH Chris
Sounds like cutworms to me, although weevils are also an option. But whatever it is, the eating is likely being done at night, so night hunts are on the program. Take a container out so you can collect them when you see them, tongs or something if you're also squeamish, then take them to a better lit area to squish or crunch. A headlamp or someone else holding the flashlight makes it easier :-)