I’ve seen these brown leaves on Sideroxylon salicifolium and wonder what could be causing it.
October 1, 2009
Hello dear bug people. I keep seeing webbing and dead leaf clusters on Willow Bustic and wonder if the attached bugs/larvae that I saw today are the cause.
Would you know what they are by these not so great pictures?
Thank you so much, Susan
North Key Largo, Florida
Dear Susan,
WE are really puzzled by these hatching insects, but the webbing they are constructing does appear to be on the brown clusters of leaves. We are calling in the big guns and are requesting assistance from Eric Eaton.
Update from Eric Eaton
October 3, 2009
Daniel:
I’m at a friend’s computer right now, but my quick answer is that those are most likely katydid nymphs hatching from eggs. Probably giant katydids (Stilpnochlora couloniana). They would not be the cause of the leaf damage, and certainly not the cause of the webbing, which may be a product of the Fall Webworm or a related caterpillar.
Hope this helps.
Eric