Hey all, got a question. I went out to water my kids, aka JM, and noticed my a.p.'kashima' had a white fluffy powdery place on the main trunk. As I started to wipe this stuff off with my finger, IT MOVED. Yup, it started walking away from my finger, lol. Well turns out it was a little critter adout 4-5mm long with a flat underside. Apparenty it is responsible for the rest of the white powdery substance. Any ideas on what this little guys (or girls) name is. Thanks for any insight. Bob
I believe I had the same problem here in N. Fla. I found the white moving creatures , and web were being visited by a small greenish white , flying insect. Possibly the male. Local nurseryman suggested Mealybugs. He suggested spray them off with a jet of water. So far this has worked,they haven't returned. I was advised to use an insecticide/fungicide containing neem oil, if the water didn't work. Has any one had any experiance with this insecticide ? Thanks Blue.
Leafhopper The adults do no harm. The larva stage, which produces the powdery substance, feeds on the leaves.
More on Flatid Planthoppers Not aphids. Probably FLATID PLANTHOPPERS (Flatidae) or another form of Leafhopper. They do make cuts into bark to lay eggs and pierce tissue to suck plant juices. Danger of transmitting disease. Many Homoptera are considered harmful because of their feeding damage that causes plants to wilt or loose their leaves. The very act of laying eggs can harm the plant and can cause leaves to curl and brown. Gall forming phylloxerans include pests of nuts and fruits. Mealybugs and whiteflies are major pests of plants grown in greenhouses. Some aphids and leafhoppers also transmit pathogens that cause plant diseases. The honeydew excreted by Homoptera promotes the growth of mold, which interferes with plant photosynthesis. Photographs of pest species and their damage are available at the Virginia Cooperative Extension Web site Insects That Feed by Sucking Plant Juices. http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/ornamentals/part1.html
