Hello forum members, Below is an email I received. Your responses are appreciated. Raakel I am trying to identify a caterpillar that is infesting our Viburnum plants (namely snowball and arrowwood) here in Newfoundland. It feeds on the leaves causing the plant to look lacy or skeletonized. Upon searching this insect on the Internet I came upon a forum discussion from UBC Botanical Garden in which Douglas Justice described the insect along with the approprate control (http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=587). I am wondering if someone could tell me the genus and species of this insect. It is not the Viburnum beetle. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hello, In referring to "Insects that Feed on Trees and Shrubs" by Watten T. Johnson and Howard H. Lyon, I have found a number of insects that damage the foliage of viburnum. Among them, leaf rollers, aphids, scale and weevils. However, none of the damage caused by these insects appears as skeletonizing of the leaves. I am only aware of viburnum leaf beetle causing this type of damage. Unfortunately Douglas is away for two weeks. I will ask him if he was referring to viburnum leaf beetle, or another insect, in the thread that you referred to. Perhaps you have already considered that all life stages of viburnum leaf beetle feed on the foliage. Here is an image with two different larval instars of the beetle, along with the adult. The small green caterpillars could be the first (and second?) larval instars of the leaf beetle. Raakel
If it is a true caterpillar then BtK would be apprpriate control during the caterpillar stage. also with viburnum leaf beetle a control method is a pruning of last years growth in the mid winter, the adults lay their eggs there for next years babies.
