Green Leaf Bug(Katydid) eating peach tree leaves

[chad6159]

I have at least one green leaf bug that is always on my peach tree eating away at the leaves like crazy. I have tried to look up online if they are good or bad but I cannot find anything on them, besides that they like to eat leaves. I have never seen it on any of my other trees, just my peach tree.

Do any of you guys know whether they eat other garden pests such as aphids, scale and so on? Trying to figure out whether or not I should get rid of it and look for others. He has torn up pretty much all of my peach tree leaves. Well at least what is left of them after going semi dormant.

What would you guys do?

Picture from google attached for reference.

[OCchris1]

I have those F*%Kers as well and I just smash them. Im sure you could spray buy I'm unsure of the chemicals involved. Good luck

[chad6159]

Yeah from what I read they dont any of the pests, so I might as well get rid of them because it is tearing my peach tree apart.

[Finca La Isla]

If you can, go out at night with a flashlight.  That’s when they do the most damage here.

[chad6159]

Thanks! Was planning on going out tonight but it is raining. So hopefully tomorrow I can go out there. Luckily I have only seen one at a time. So hopefully I do not have a bunch out there.

[achetadomestica]

Hey Chad
Your peach tree should be full of flowers?
I wouldn't spray anything now it might affect your pollination.
I hate those katydids also and see them in my yard as well,

With the warm February I have fertilized twice already and am watering heavy and
my peaches are really looking good with flowers and new leaves.

[chad6159]

Yeah I dont plan on spraying anything on the peach tree. I never have really sprayed anything on it in the past. I have fertilized once right around a month ago.

It seems to be a tiny bit behind but there is a flower on it now with more about to open up. I actually just bought a Florida Prince peach today at fruitscapes. My original tree I bought from home depot (do not remember the variety) four year ago but we only got fruit off of it the first year and in that time it has been pretty sickly and grew maybe a foot to a foot and a half in length. Irma knocked it over also destroying a lot of the roots I am assuming, as half of the tree died.

Last year was actually the first year it grew decent and was full of nice colored green leaves. You might have seen my two previous posts about my peach tree where it was not very good looking. But we got tired of waiting around to see what was going to happen and after 4 years that thing should be pretty big, but its not any taller than I am, and we bought it around that size. So decided to purchase another and if the original tree does good this year and takes off then we sure as heck wont complain about having two peach trees.

Since the tree is starting to grow more and flower I'll keep a better eye on the moisture level. But I would go out there every couple days and pull back the mulch and the soil would be moist, so havn't had to really bother with watering it much lately.