Voracious Unknown Pest

[Drwahoos]

I have been growing for the past 10 years in the same location and never seen this. I live in SoCal. This plant is outdoors and the damage in the picture happened in about 2 weeks. I also topped the plantusing the FIM method(just for fun) and my fingers caused a little damage on the side branches and the damage actually grew and one of the sprouted tips actually went limp(I inspected under a microscope for bugs and didn’t see any). Plant seems in great health regardless but I can see the damage process. I have been using lost coast plant therapy spray and alternating with neem. And it doesn’t seem to slow. I did noticed, with my naked eye, some long bodied bugs I don’t recognize moving around. Maybe a tenth the size of a grain of rice? But can’t seem to identify them. So confused. Could it be systematic?

 

[Jimster]

Looks like catepillarsor something similar... my best guess. The damage is too big for mites and similar critters. They go thru a few stages as they grow... this one looks like it crawled up the stem and enjoyed the 1st leaf that it could find. That long skinny thing might be your culprit. I'm on the other coast and have different headaches, but similar.

 

[Drwahoos]

It’s a small plant and I inspect it daily, usually caterpillars are later in the season also.

 

[Burned Haze]

Grandevo ( once you get 6lb bag, stuff is pennys per gal if you get non cannabis label, ultra cheap) , shit will and prevent 100+ things including catapillers and moths ( not all species but a lot of them), key don’t let the pest get grasp on population or any and spray biocontrols (they are 100% safe to bees and you and can be used unlimited times vs many things where they are limited per cycle )

biocontrol attract by the terp of the fungus and then the pest eat it, and then the pest die, preety cool cause the company tried 1000’s of fungu‘s or bacteria and found the best for the pest and fungus prevention .

Grandevo® | Insect Management | Pro Farm Group - Formerly Marrone Bio Innovations

A next-generation bioinsecticide, Grandevo offers growers long-lasting, cross-spectrum control to strengthen performance of modern pest management programs.

marronebio.com

 

[Drwahoos]

Grandevo ( once you get 6lb bag, stuff is pennys per gal if you get non cannabis label, ultra cheap) , shit will and prevent 100+ things including catapillers and moths ( not all species but a lot of them), key don’t let the pest get grasp on population or any and spray biocontrols (they are 100% safe to bees and you and can be used unlimited times vs many things where they are limited per cycle )

biocontrol attract by the terp of the fungus and then the pest eat it, and then the pest die, preety cool cause the company tried 1000’s of fungu‘s or bacteria and found the best for the pest and fungus prevention .

Grandevo® | Insect Management | Pro Farm Group - Formerly Marrone Bio Innovations

A next-generation bioinsecticide, Grandevo offers growers long-lasting, cross-spectrum control to strengthen performance of modern pest management programs.

marronebio.com

I have been rotating between Dr Zymes, neem, and lost coast plant therapy. It’s definitely something other than Caterpillars. I’m having trouble identifying that small bug I saw.

 

[Beachwalker]

It’s definitely something other than Caterpillars.

Grasshoppers?

 

[visajoe1]

Grasshoppers?

grasshopper was my first inclination too

 

[Drwahoos]

Grasshoppers are possible, but like I said I go out and look it over multiple times a day usually about 8 hahaha I feel like I would have seen something. Also just noticed this today. Can’t imagine is rust fungus because it’s outside and pretty arid for the most part.

 

[Jimster]

When I said caterpillars, I wasn't referring to the final stage, before the butterfly stage, but instead the first stages after hatching in the spring. They start off tiny but eat their way up. It has to be a larger bug because a mite would take a year to eat a hle of that size.