|
Title: What's eating the Kowhai? Post by: dragontamer on February 16, 2009, 04:58:49 pm My kowhai looks almost dead. The leaves are stripped right back to nothing and the whole thing looks yellowish. There are no obvious bugs and we don't have a problem with aphids or anything else.
On a wander around the neighbours yards 2 of them have kowhai that look the same. What's killing our trees - anyone know? Title: Re: What's eating the Kowhai? Post by: Lovelee on February 16, 2009, 06:17:13 pm You're in the Hawke Bay?
Maybe they all think its winter time? Did you know the bark and seeds of the kowhai are poisonous? You say the leaves are stripped back - are they being eaten? Do you have a magnifying glass? Title: Re: What's eating the Kowhai? Post by: Nitpicker1 on February 17, 2009, 05:55:02 am My kowhai looks almost dead. The leaves are stripped right back to nothing and the whole thing looks yellowish. There are no obvious bugs and we don't have a problem with aphids or anything else. On a wander around the neighbours yards 2 of them have kowhai that look the same. What's killing our trees - anyone know? Probably kowhai moth. The first indication is when the edges of the leaves dry, then the leaf wilts and blow off. the culprit is it's wee black and yellow caterpillar. If you can't see any bugs it may be because they have metamorphed into the adult already. If so, no worry till next season My kowhais have it too, if I wasn't organic I would have sprayed with something to kill them, but anything I used would kill bees on neighbouring things too. The tree does seem to recover, but mine have never been totally denuded. If ya shake the tree branches when they're active, wee cats fall on threads like spider bungees. I wonder if they climb back up? Maybe I could give 'em a real hard hose down. I think Sheild is the name of a product that woud deal to them if yr not worried about side effects Title: Re: What's eating the Kowhai? Post by: dragontamer on February 17, 2009, 06:16:26 am Thanks nitz. I'll go on the hunt for an organic solution. We don't use sprays either but normally we don't need to.
I'll let the neighbours know as well. Title: Re: What's eating the Kowhai? Post by: Newtown-Fella on February 20, 2009, 08:28:44 pm what you have is Kowhai moth whose larvae eat the leaves and the seeds ... scale insects may alsp invade the Kowhai and they are easily controlled by spraying with all seasons spraying oil...
check here for organic products http://www.kiwicare.co.nz/index.cfm/1,144,0,0,html/Organic-Products Title: Re: What's eating the Kowhai? Post by: Nitpicker1 on February 21, 2009, 03:32:00 pm what you have is Kowhai moth whose larvae eat the leaves and the seeds ... scale insects may alsp invade the Kowhai and they are easily controlled by spraying with all seasons spraying oil... check here for organic products http://www.kiwicare.co.nz/index.cfm/1,144,0,0,html/Organic-Products Home>Organic>Organic Products> search kowhai moth = zilch, Does All Seasons work on both scale and Kowhai Moth's caterpillar, Newt? Alternative suggestion The wee threads they swing from if they are dislodged might break or dissolve if the underside of the leaves is given a wetting with full stream of water from hose? Otherwise I imagine they'd climb back up if they are shaken off? |