Greetings, all.

I'm new to the forum, and so far have found lots of great info and ideas.  I'm a fig lover and have three trees so far, one each Black Jack, Blue Giant, and Panache Tiger.  The Black Jack is still in a pot, but I've recently planted the other two and they seem to be growing very quickly.

However, I'm a little concerned about my Panache Tiger.  It's got some leaves that are curling up, some that are turning brown, and a couple that look like they've been chewed.  And as I was checking it more closely I found a couple of ladybugs (yay!) and another bug I can't identify.  I took some pictures to my local nursery and they weren't sure what's going on, and couldn't recognize the bug either.  I've uploaded a few pictures to see if any fig gurus have some advice for me.

I'm in the Central Coast area of California, and this tree gets a lot of south-west facing sun.  It has been breezy lately in the afternoon as well.  It gets a little water when the sprinklers come on, but I have been watering it deeply once a week, and give it an extra couple of gallons if it's going to be really hot.  The soil has a lot of clay, so it drains slowly and holds the water pretty well.  I planted it on the second of April.

Here are the pics:

Welcome Slackjaw to the forum. I will defer to someone on the West Coast for a diagnosis. I have no clue what
the bug in the pic is.

You are fine. The coloration and some of the odd shaped leaves are from FMV. Don't know about the bug. As long as you have healthy new growth, you are fine.

Here's a better resized picture of the bug.  Anyone know if he's beneficial or nasty?

--Woody

I think it looks like some expression of mosaic. Could be something more also, but maybe not. It'll probably go away eventually and surface from time to time.

Thanks Pitangadiego!  What's FMV?

Glad and much relieved to know my tree is ok. :)

--Woody

looks like mine, that got eaten by slugs... 

Hi Grasa,

No slugs or snails to be found so far, and I sprinkle some Sluggo Plus around my trees and veggies occasionally to keep it that way. :)  No ants either, but I'll be looking harder when the fruit comes.

--Woody

The leaf curling is caused by the direct sun. I had the same until I put the pot under a tree providing the fig some shade.
The new leaves now grow straight, without curling.
That bug looks like a Miridae (Plant bug).

I did a quick Google search:
http://www.arizonensis.org/sonoran/fieldguide/arthropoda/orthotylinae-on-larrea.html

the bug looks like a stink bug. pentatomidae family. if you squish it, it will stink. here in NJ, the brown marmorated stink bug has been very hard on crops. i hope they don't like fig trees.

The bug you have in your picture is what we call a "stink bug" in the southeast.  They are not good for any kind of fruit/vegitable.  Any where they "sting", the fruit will not develop.  They are easy to get rid of...just a little malethin spray.  I don't know what to tell you to use if you don't want to use pesticides.

Greenfig, I had someone else tell me they thought the leaf curling was due to heat.  You found a pretty good match for my bug as well.  I also searched images for the stinkbug as Lukeott and Alan1361 suggested, and some of those look pretty close too.  Either way, capsids and stinkbugs aren't beneficial.  I will try to find some organic solution that will keep them off.

--Woody

Noss, I agree with you on using malathion for fruit and vegetable plants, it's not my preference.  I'd rather go organic if I can, and I will try these options first:

Captain Jack's Dead Bug Brew (active ingredient is Spinosad)

Safer brand Insect Killing Soap (active ingredient is Potassium Salts of Fatty Acids)

I'm hoping that one of these will work on the fig, and later on the squash beetles that like to chew up my cucumber plants.

The weather has cooled off a little in the past couple of days, and I gave the tree a little extra water.  It *seems* a little happier, but maybe that's just wishful thinking.

--Woody

Please see FAQ

I have seen this bug around my place. Now I know what it is Creosote Bush Plant Bug. Boy my figs have one more critter to add to the list that get them. I have thousands of acres of Creosote Bush Plant around me. The sun problem on my leaves turn brown on the edge. Yours looks green? My new growth looks healthy. I have high winds today that is also hard on my fig leaves. Very dry air is also. But never saw mine look like yours. But only had figs for 3 months this year.
Zone 8
South West TX

The fig leaf curling is not from the sun im in Sydney Austraila i have the same problem with the leaves curling and there in shade, it must be to much water or Aphids under the leaf the bug could be looking for them under the leaf.