insecticidal soap, ¼ tsp. This will keep the top of the soil dry and uninviting to slugs and snails. Bougainvillea is made up of 18 species, with some varieties hardy in regions as cool as U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 5 … Such pests can do significant damage to a bougainvillea. Branches that are overlapping can’t dry quickly and become more susceptible to leaf spot disease. Only two families of parasitoid hymenoptera are known to hunt them, the Eulophidae and the Trichogrammatidae. Common Pests A part of the bougainvillea’s appeal is that they are relatively disease and pest-free plants, but they can be affected by pests. Problem as a result of over-watering, under-watering, low light levels, or cold temperatures. Under conditions of high rainfall or relative humidity the lesions develop quickly and are often black and vein delimited. Capture flying aphids by placing yellow sticky traps near infected plants. Removing leaves and other debris from around plants is an excellent method for controlling them. Scale-damaged plants look withered and sickly and may have sticky sap or a black fungus on the leaves and stems. Sluggo is good because it can be used around pets and people. is a vigorous woody vine characterized by scores of papery flowers in shades of magenta, purple, sunset orange and white. For all other disease, begin applications prior to disease onset when conditions are conducive for disease. For Phomopsis diseases, apply at bud break, before shoots are 0.5 inches at length, and then again when shoots are 5-6 inches in length. It will not cure infection that is already there, but it can control the spread of it. Mid-season washing with water to remove dust may help prevent serious late-season mite infestations. They leave behind a secretion that attracts ants and promotes mold growth. Both can be bought from garden stores or online. If it does not, then it will not be useful against the bougainvillea looper caterpillar. Chemical Control Examine your garden regularly for signs of aphids. If you use chemical pesticides to control insect pests, you will also kill natural predators. See “Aphids”, “Scale Insects: Parasites, Mealybugs”, and “Whiteflies”. Identify scale insects by looking on the undersides of leaves and around leaf joints. Damage is further exacerbated as whiteflies, like aphids, excrete honeydew as a waste product, which promotes mold growth. Zinc deficiency (rare): Will look almost like magnesium but here the leaf will be twisted. Scale insects vary dramatically in their appearance from very small organisms (1-2 mm) that occur under wax covers (some look like oyster shells), to shiny pearl-like objects (about 5 mm), to creatures covered with mealy wax. Due to their small size, cryptophilic behavior, and high rate of reproduction, thrips are difficult to control using classical biological control. It’s easily prevented by careful handling and by the application of a broad spectrum fungicide drench during transplanting or planting in the landscape. Introduce beneficial insects, such as ladybugs/ladybirds/ladybeetles, or green lacewings to your garden to feed on the aphids. A part of the bougainvillea’s appeal is that they are relatively disease and pest-free plants. Use of yellow sticky traps to monitor infestations and only selective use of insecticides is advised. All this biting and chomping will make the leaf look scalloped. The damage is quickly elevated as whiteflies congregate in large numbers, quickly overwhelming susceptible plants. Like wood borers, leaf miners are difficult to control as they are protected from insecticide sprays and plant defenses by feeding within the tissues of the leaves themselves. At first, the damage shows up as a stippling of light dots on the leaves; sometimes the leaves take on a bronze color. Phosphorus deficiency: The veins will turn red to purple and the plant as a whole will look purplish. Insectical oils and soaps will not control caterpillars such as the looper. Remove infected leaves and/or plants from the growing area. When environmental conditions are drier and less favorable, leaf spots are slower to develop. A heavy infestation may even result in tender shoots being eaten and even complete defoliation of the affected bougainvillea vine. Additionally, leaf mining insect larvae quickly become resistant to contact pesticides. Bougainvillea loopers are small worm-like caterpillars that are commonly called “inchworms.” They will move by bunching up their body and then stretching back out, as though they are measuring the space. Cleaning around the plants. Lesions have a tan center surrounded by a dark redbrown margin, and are sometimes bordered by a chlorotic halo. 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A part of the bougainvillea’s appeal is that they are relatively disease and pest-free plants. Dispose of them immediately to reduce the spreading of infection. Over time, scales and mealybugs turn leaves black with “sooty mold”. Putting down barriers that slugs can’t cross is, perhaps, the best way to protect your garden from these common pests. Plants that are over-watered or subjected to water logged conditions can develop root or stem rot. Not all pesticides will have an effect on bougainvillea loopers, though. Spray fungicide in the spring if necessary. Neem oil and bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are effective against these bougainvillea plant pests. Make a nontoxic pesticide by mixing 1 cup vegetable oil with 1 tablespoon liquid dish-washing soap. Dispose of them immediately to reduce the spreading of infection. Try calcified seaweed or crushed eggshells as a barrier. It may be a threat to a very young bougainvillea plant though. Wash the leaves individually with the soap/oil mixture. If a treatment for mites is necessary, use selective materials, preferably insecticidal soap or insecticidal oil. The Common Diseases Found in Bougainvillea. Scale insects are invasive and will infest other plants. See “Snails & Slugs” and “Bougainvillea Looper Caterpillar”. Wash infested plants with a soap/oil mixture if scraping alone doesn’t do the job. The edges of the bougainvillea leaves will look chewed on and have a scalloped edge. Do not use contact pesticides. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Regular, forceful spraying of plants with water will often reduce spider mite numbers adequately. Try using oak leaves as a barrier. Place the insects directly on the infested plant. Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects with long, slender mouth parts that they use to pierce stems, leaves, and other tender plant parts and suck out plant fluids. horticultural oil into 1 quart of warm water. Photo Credit: Weidners’ Gardens. Petroleum-based horticultural oils or neem oils are both acceptable. Petroleum-based horticultural oils or neem oils are both acceptable. They are fast growing and can reach 15 to 30 feet. Because of this, the larval stages of all insects which leaf mine are collectively and generically called “leaf miners”. In time, leaf edges may become ragged as the necrotic tissue turns dry and papery. Slugs and snails don’t like the tannin in the leaves. These enlarge into circular or irregular dark necrotic spots. Chemical Control Such outbreaks are commonly a result of the insecticide killing off the natural enemies of the mites, but also occur when certain insecticides stimulate mite reproduction. In these cases, you may want to spray the plant with a pesticide. Rough, sharp sand is another option. Whiteflies typically feed on the underside of plant leaves. The early symptoms are small reddish-brown leaf spots which usually occur on younger foliage, and cause the leaves to look “rusty”. Nitrogen deficiency: Older leaves turn a pale green and the veins are usually a reddish color. Water your garden only in the early morning, or use an underground irrigation pipe. Cleaning around the plant is your best solution. Any brand of slug/snail killer will do the job. Maintaining dry foliage is the primary control measure. Snails usually eat from the middle of the leaf, but they can take bites out the edges as well. The signs that you have bougainvillea looper caterpillar is mainly damage to the leaves. Bougainvilleas are evergreen shrubby vines. Be sure to get good coverage, especially on the undersides of leaves. Regular, forceful spraying of plants with water will often reduce spider mite numbers adequately. Spread dry soot, dry ashes, dry lime, sharp cinders and dry chalk around plants or beds.