What’s eating mamey leaves? *Updated pics*

[canesgirl821]

Picked up this beautiful Pace from a fellow forum member a few weeks ago. It’s been in the ground about a week and something is devouring its leaves. I’ve done extensive checks and have found a small brown spotted beetle and two very small different spider type insects, one lime green in color and the other light brown with stripes. I suspect the beetle, due to where/how I found it, but I know very little about insects. Would greatly appreciate help to identify and also how to control. I do not currently use any pesticides and would love to find something natural, if possible. Thank you!

[Shiapouf]

you should add photos of the bugs you found, also, anytime you have a bug you need to identify, just dm Bugsincyberspace on instagram, he should be able to tell you if a certain bug is eating your plant

[enomi]

For my mamey plant, and many others, it's usually this little pest:

Artipus floridanus Horn, known as the little leaf notcher. I have not found anything to work on them. From reading on the forum, hope for the plant to eventually mature and outgrow any damage.

[canesgirl821]

For my mamey plant, and many others, it's usually this little pest:

Artipus floridanus Horn, known as the little leaf notcher. I have not found anything to work on them. From reading on the forum, hope for the plant to eventually mature and outgrow any damage.

Thanks for your reply. I’m very familiar with the little leaf notcher, one of the insects whose name I know! He and his friends do munch away on most of my trees, but this damage is not from him. The little brown beetle I suspect to be the culprit is smaller than these, round like a ladybug, but different coloration and quick moving.

[canesgirl821]

you should add photos of the bugs you found, also, anytime you have a bug you need to identify, just dm Bugsincyberspace on instagram, he should be able to tell you if a certain bug is eating your plant

Thanks for that info.  I did get a picture of the little green spider, he’s in one of the photos. Tried to get the beetle but haven’t been able to yet. Not giving up, I’ll get a pic and send it, as you suggested.

[skhan]

It could be the Cuban may beetle

[canesgirl821]

It could be the Cuban may beetle

Just looked it up, ugly little thing ... but I’d probably say that about most of them. Could be, it’s hard to get scale based on the pictures.  Whatever it is, it’s aggressive, and doing a ton of damage to that beautiful mamey I got from you. 

I should be able to get a picture of it tomorrow. Will post and also try the insect guy on Instagram.

In the meantime, I read about spraying soapy water on the leaves. Any chance this would work? Any reason not to try?

[canesgirl821]

Got pics of the brown beetle this morning (right before I smushed him ... sorry).







Also found this under one of the leaves.

[cbss_daviefl]

Cuban may beetles are pretty nasty. They sometimes gang together on a single tree and can totally defoliate small trees. They killed my san pablo custard apple tree. They attacked it after it had dropped it leaves as custard apples always do in April. Every time the buds pushed out, the beetles stripped it clean. After that happens a couple times, the tree is done. My struggling green sapote, which set fruit for the first time this year, is one of there favorites.

[canesgirl821]

Cuban may beetles are pretty nasty. They sometimes gang together on a single tree and can totally defoliate small trees. They killed my san pablo custard apple tree. They attacked it after it had dropped it leaves as custard apples always do in April. Every time the buds pushed out, the beetles stripped it clean. After that happens a couple times, the tree is done. My struggling green sapote, which set fruit for the first time this year, is one of there favorites.

Good morning Brandon, hope you’re doing well.

I guess it’s likely confirmed, I have Cuban may beetles. So how do I treat/get rid of them?

[roblack]

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/field/white_grub.htm

I thought they were Japanese beetles, but looks like I have May/June beetles too, or whatever.

We have an assortment of beetles actually. They suck. Eating leaves and fouling up the pool.

[cbss_daviefl]

I personally do not use insecticides at all or bother with any treatments.  Some fungicides also act as insecticides and I have on occasion used those on aphids or scale. These bugs are seasonal and the reign of terror will soon end until next year. If a tree is healthy and growing at a normal pace, it shouldn't be a problem. You can go out at night and remove (SQUISH) them. Some people say you can leave out a 5 gallon white bucket will an inch or two of water. Some bugs will drown in the bucket. I have unintentionally left out white buckets and got a few but there will be thousands in my yard.  There may be some nematode soil treatment to get them at the larvae stage. For a while, I was using DynaTraps in an attempt to reduce mosquito populations, which is a lantern looking device that has a light and a fan.  This will kill all insects indiscriminately. 

[Shiapouf]

The beetle looks a lot like a cuban may beetle, and the other bugs are just scale insects

[canesgirl821]

The beetle looks a lot like a cuban may beetle, and the other bugs are just scale insects

Thanks for the confirmation; despite it not being good news, I greatly appreciate the input.

[canesgirl821]

I personally do not use insecticides at all or bother with any treatments.  Some fungicides also act as insecticides and I have on occasion used those on aphids or scale. These bugs are seasonal and the reign of terror will soon end until next year. If a tree is healthy and growing at a normal pace, it shouldn't be a problem. You can go out at night and remove (SQUISH) them. Some people say you can leave out a 5 gallon white bucket will an inch or two of water. Some bugs will drown in the bucket. I have unintentionally left out white buckets and got a few but there will be thousands in my yard.  There may be some nematode soil treatment to get them at the larvae stage. For a while, I was using DynaTraps in an attempt to reduce mosquito populations, which is a lantern looking device that has a light and a fan.  This will kill all insects indiscriminately.

Thanks, I don’t use pesticides either, and don’t want to start. Do you think spraying with soapy water might help? Surely not an option with all your trees, but with my few it wouldn’t be hard. Especially this mamey, which is only about 4 ft tall, not sure it would be able to outgrown an aggressive infestation of these guys.

By the way, so far my jackfruit, bananas and Luc’s Garcinia I got from you are doing well and unaffected. 

[cbss_daviefl]

I do not think spraying soap will kill cuban may beetles. Soap needs to be able to suffocate the insects and has to be sprayed directly on the insects. Generally, it only works for tiny insects like mites, aphids, and scale.

[canesgirl821]

I do not think spraying soap will kill cuban may beetles. Soap needs to be able to suffocate the insects and has to be sprayed directly on the insects. Generally, it only works for tiny insects like mites, aphids, and scale.

Looks like I’ll be spending even more time picking and squishing bugs that I have been already. Maybe I’ll luck into one of their natural predators, who can help me out. *fingers crossed*