I have Hardy Hibiscus and have this bug that seems to only go after it.. It's actually a fly that lays worms that are very small and clear so you can't really see them.. the worms eat the leaves until they are lacy. Same kind of damage that the Japanese beetles do... Has anyone had any experience in ridding these things? I used Neem , did not work.. I tried heavy duty chemical, some type don't remember it helped but did not kill them all.. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks. Oh the fly is small and black with a red head or something like that... from what I remember...
Is there any way you could get a photograph of the insects cindjo? It would really help us to ID them properly for you.
Actually I know what it is, I was looking on line last night.. It is the Hibiscus Saw Fly.. I just don't know how to get rid of it.. I think it did one of my plants totally in.... will see if it comes back this year, but I really doubt it...
Yo could handpick the saw fly larvae or prune out the affected tissue and destroy it. If the population is too big, or the plant is too tall to hand-pick, treat with Conserve. "Conserve, is derived from the fermentation of a naturally occurring organism, uniquely combining the efficacy of synthetic insecticides with the benefits of biological insect pest control products." Information taken from the Dow AgroSciences website.
I have heard of Conserve, will try it. The population is very large. I tried hand picking of the larva and it was to no avail... will definitely need Conserve.
