Fig leaves being eaten and I finally found one of the culprits.  This is the first time I have ever had anything eat a fig leaf.

The obvious answer is to beat it to a messy spot, or seven dust any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Your pic is out of focus, but it looks to be a cricket of sorts.

Are you sure that's what eats your leaves?
Prob. yes, your hands were shaking when you were taking the photos :)

If you wait too long you might not have anything left to dust!


I'll drop it at that.

:)

Doug

I don't think a cricket would do that...but I could be wrong.

Also don't think a cricket would do that......I would be looking for a caterpillar. 

Are there black dots like pencil lead size dots on leaf tops?
Caterpillar poop.




Doug

The bug in the picture is eating the leaves, it is some kind of cricket, it has yellow stripes, it is now dead!  There are more, I have dusted.  The question is: what kind of bug/cricket is it?

Looks like a camel cricket, but I can't tell from that angle. They eat all sorts of things. they are to some degree predatory.

Looks like the rare yellow striped Texas fig locust. Does it wear spurs and drink Lone Star? I think you're only suppose to dust them in the middle of main street at high noon.

Even more rare....may be the dreaded double yellow striped fig licker, first discovered in Harlan county Ky, rumored to have been originally transported via a cutting from a fig nut who bought cuttings on ebay from a newbie from the Lower Pestilence River section of upper Detroit, may have been originally from Cleveland.

Jenn,
Be extra careful, there is a similar pest known as the HWY 183 Leander Licker.  It is predominantly limited to Cedar Park/Leander area but has been seen in the Lakeway area, you can never tell.

For all the rest, this is local humor

Look like a camel cricket.  Apparently they eat anything and everything.

Thanks Danny! I'll be on the lookout after I put my Lonestar down and take off my spurs!

No disrespect intended but I don't see an issue with a few leaves more or less?
The Sevin product is carbamate chemical I can't see putting that on anything I eat also it kills beneficial insects.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbaryl

http://www.inchem.org/documents/icsc/icsc/eics0121.htm

http://phys.org/news/2014-09-asian-camel-crickets-common-homes.html

pino, for me seven is to be used as a last resort to stop incest infestation.

I my self have used it on non fruiting trees or those I will not be eating the
fruit.

How do you suggest you get rid of plant destroying pests?

You can use other pesticides that also kill beneficial incests?

Dorment oil sprays can be used, bur beneficial incests will again die.?

Give us ways to prevent us from chewing incests? Mites?

I have a bunch of trees that could spread mites quickly.

What should I use when deer eat my tender new tree's?
Sevin dust kept them away, and the bunnies, and the spring chewing insects.
It let cuttings thrown in the ground survive so long as they were dusted..

Please tell me what works, what is completely safe when used as directed
and has been around as long as sevin dust. I remember people dusting their dog with sevin.
It killed fleas.

I mean no disrespect, but..please show me a product that is completely safe, and works when you need it. Not just sometimes like soaps or oil sprays.

I use sevin on my young trees. Rarely on my adult trees.

Nothing above waist level with dust.
Safety, if you can call it that.
Use gloves, wash your hands when done.

I want a organic, completely safe compromise.

This might get interesting, my mind is open to working solutions.

thanks

Doug

Sometimes the basturds take more than a few leaves. There has not been a "good" year for grasshoppers in Granger. Last year was not horrible. The two previous years I had trees (yes more than one) taken to the ground.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/damn-effin-grasshoppers-5893807?highlight=grasshopper&pid=1273999367#post1273999367

Within the past week, I have seen similar albeit smaller scale, damage on several trees in Colorado. Several of my trees have had the growing tip plus an inch or two of wood chewed off. Smith has had about half of its growth this year removed.

Touché Doug!  I reacted by gut feel.  I don't have answers to your valid questions.  

<edit>I do believe there is more than 1 way tackle pest problems but it takes a lot of work and cost find them.  The easiest way is not always the best long term.


  

Well, I was raised on a farm.


I do not like sevin unless I absolutely need it.
I just wont eat the fruit from that tree.


Bummer, was hoping there was now a perfectly safe way to rid the pests.


Have fun

Doug

I wish I knew a safe way to get rid of pests.  Boy would I be rich:)

According to the label Sevin has a long list of target pests. 

Also during fig time you should also be concerned with the PHI (3-21 days depending on the fruit).

You need sea gulls. They will take care of your cricket problem.

Crickets are attracted to a red light at night.  They also are fond of cheerios with molasses drizzled on.  Dig a hole that will hold at least a three gallon bucket flush at ground level.  Bury the bucket and place the small amount of bait in the bottom.  They will go in at night and cant climb back out.

Related article 

Grasshoppers are cannibalistic as adults and are attracted to the scent of canola oil, molasses and the color yellow.  

Related article

I don't know what happened to my earlier post but;

It is a Jerusalem Cricket which is a form of camel cricket.
They are nocturnal and if you handle them they have a nasty (non-toxic) bite.