I could just cry! This morning when I went out to water the garden, I found several of the zucchini plants had been "attacked" and turned to "lace". Every single leaf on several plants now looks like this. While I'm sure the damage didn't REALLY happen overnight, it appeared to happen that quickly -- the plants "appeared" to be fine yesterday. Clearly they weren't.
It took me a bit to figure out what caused the damage -- I was looking at the eaten away leaves and only finding little black sandy looking particles (which I now assume are the turds of the critter that ate the leaves). I think I identified the problem on a nearby leaf. Cabbage Loopers. Little green "inch worm" type caterpillars that feed on the bottom side of leaves. They follow the veins of leaves, eating away the fleshy part of leaves. Clearly, we have an infestation.
I've got to get some BT, ASAP! ...it's too late to save all of the plants, but I can try to save those remaining. Unfortunately, they attacked my "late" crop of zucchini, the plants that were to provide zucchini well into fall. Some of the plants hadn't even provided their first zucchini yet.
#@%&@#$&!!
What a shame! I think your dad's suggestion is a good one. Would the chickens eat your zucchini?
Posted by: Shellie Daniel | September 01, 2010 at 08:58 PM
I have the same problem with those worms on my flowers!!! They eat the petunias in my hanging baskets. Where did all the buds go? EATEN OFF. I have stood outside for hours, picking the worms off manually and stomping them under my feet. GRRRRR. I have tried many chemicals, but finally quit for fear of harming bees and other bugs I do want. I'm so sorry for you - they are the pits.
Posted by: Lynne H | August 31, 2010 at 06:30 PM
It's me again! How about some portable fencing and then turn the hens into the zuchini patch. If they'll eat the worms they should have the problem kinda sorta fixed in a day or so.......Maybe?....Love, Dad
Posted by: DK Wight | August 31, 2010 at 12:12 PM
OMG! All I can think of is what kind of craft could you make with lacey cucumber leaves? :(
Posted by: Cheryl R | August 31, 2010 at 09:21 AM
You need to have a serious talk with your toad patrol team leader!! If you use poison make sure it is not a death sentence for your toads. you of course know that they are very sensitive to toxins..........Love, Dad
Posted by: DK Wight | August 31, 2010 at 08:30 AM
I can't believe how fast they must have been to destroy your plants before you even had a chance to notice them ... bummer!
Posted by: bonnie weiss | August 31, 2010 at 04:07 AM
Those unsavory characters usually attack my greens every Spring. They can chew through a whole row in no time.
I'd like to have some squirrel stew. I was watching my last perfectly round juicy looking cantaloupe until it was the perfect shade of tan ready to pick, and a dastardly squirrel beat me to it on Saturday. I found it on the ground with the stem end eaten out and the insides totally empty of seeds. They'd all been scooped out with a little paw--all they left behind were the claw marks! Sure wish I could have caught the little bugger!
Posted by: Susan G | August 30, 2010 at 10:09 PM
Sorry to hear about your pests, but glad to hear that you figured out exactly what was eating your zuchinni's! We usually have mellon bugs. I was on the lookout for them this year and was able to catch them early and kill them all! Bwahahaha!
Posted by: Anne S | August 30, 2010 at 02:45 PM
Urgh! That's aweful =(
Posted by: My Inkie Fingers | August 30, 2010 at 02:41 PM
Bummer!!!! Hail destroyed a bunch of the leaves in my garden this year - especially the zucchini and pumpkin plants :(
Posted by: Jennifer K. | August 30, 2010 at 02:18 PM
Sorry about your plants. :(((((( You are right about the black stuff. It is frass, the caterpillar droppings. Time to find the toads!
Posted by: Shala | August 30, 2010 at 02:02 PM
I hate BUGS in the garden. I do not like to use chemicals. Sometimes it becomes a neccesary evil to save ANYTHING from the nasty little buggers. :( So go have some more choc.zucchini bread and feel better. And have a slice for me. 'Cause the vine borers got all the plants after we harvested only a few. "Oh Bother...." *as Pooh would say*!
Hope your week gets better from here, hugs...
Posted by: Carol Dee | August 30, 2010 at 12:27 PM
Oh, I can't believe the rotten luck! Those little boogers...how dare they eat your late zucchini! Shoot. I'm so sorry...I hope you can stop them before they do any more destruction. It IS amazing how FAST creatures like that can destroy things. Shoot, I just hate that for you!
Hope you have a good week anyway. Take care. Hope you are feeling MUCH better now! :D
Posted by: diane mcvey | August 30, 2010 at 12:23 PM
drats, double drats!
Posted by: Valerie | August 30, 2010 at 11:01 AM