Subject: rose of sharon
Location: Southeastern PA
June 7, 2017 5:42 am
this bug/worm/fuzzy looking thing is all over and around my rose of Sharon bushes, but I can’t tell if it is eating what also appears to be tons of tiny aphids, but they are just small lines vs. round – all over the leaves….not sure if those of the larvae of this, or this is eating those….this bug is less than 3/4″ long and soft bodied vs. beetle-like.
Signature: Eastern PA
This is the larva of a Lady Beetle and it is likely feeding on the Aphids that have infested your Rose of Sharon. Based on this BugGuide image, we are quite confident that this is the larva of the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle, Harmonia axyridis, an invasive species that is likely contributing to reduced populations of native Lady Beetles.
Thanks so much. I do not use chemical pesticides or herbicides, but is there anything natural I should/could do to rebalance?
Michele