faeryreel
south central Ontario
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:20 pm Post subject: Dahlia petals have been eaten before the flower opens |
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I found this little guy hiding on the stem just below the bud. Can anyone tell me what it is and if he is the cause of my problem?
bug found on dahlia stem ( photo / image / picture from faeryreel's Garden )
Thanks!
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toni
 Administrator
Plants Moderator
Regular Plants Contributor
North Texas, Zone 8a
Posts: 11235
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| Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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Not sure, but that appears to be the final nymphal instar of a Cicada, it recently dug it's way out of the ground and will be shedding that form for the adult form soon. I don't know how common they are in Ontario. They basically live way underground living on 'root juice' then after several years, they come up to molt into an adult, mate and start the cycle over again.
If it is a Cicada, it is not your problem. Adults do not eat, they might suck on tree sap during the mating season but they do not eat plants.
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Last edited by toni on Sat Aug 15, 2009 3:28 pm; edited 1 time in total
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eileen
Forum Moderator
Scotland
Posts: 18013
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| Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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Your bug looks like a Froghopper to me, you can tell by the long grasshopper-like back legs. Amazing little creatures. 
" Adult froghoppers jump from plant to plant; some species can jump up to 70 cm vertically: a more impressive performance relative to body weight than fleas. The Frog Hopper can accelerate at 4000 m/s2 over 2mm as it jumps. Spittlebugs can jump 100 times their length."
Taken from Wikipedia
They aren't particularly harmful to plants although the nymphs may suck sap.
I think it may well be something else that is affecting your flowers - probably earwigs.
The earwig seems to be compulsively drawn to dahlia petals.
You notice first that there are ragged holes and bite marks in the petals even before the blooms has opened. Feeding usually occurs during the summer months. The typically hide within the flowers during the day, coming out to feed after dark.
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toni
Administrator
Plants Moderator
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North Texas, Zone 8a
Posts: 11235
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| Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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Cicada and Froghoppers aka Spittlebugs are related, so I wasn't too far wrong 
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To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with Spring ----
George Santayana
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faeryreel
south central Ontario
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks to both of you for the help. I will leave him to go about his business. I did a google search and also learned that froghoppers are the likely cause of "cuckoo spit" (never knew that's what it is called) - the frothy blobs of liquid on the plant stems.
I'll continue my battle with the earwigs....
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Netty
Regular Plants Contributor
Southern Ontario zone 5a
Posts: 9955
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 12:56 am Post subject: |
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We have literally THOUSANDS of those bugs here faeryreel and I know them as Leafhoppers. I'm not too sure what they eat, but I'm sure it's not my gardens. I would blame earwigs...it seems to be a very bad year for them here this year.
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Canadian Chelsea
Ontario, Canada
Posts: 252
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 2:48 am Post subject: |
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Yup. I would blame earwigs too. They made a mess out of the leaves on my Butterfly bush but looking on the up side, the flowers are still gorgeous.
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georgepichardo
Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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I haven't seen anything like that in any of the dahlia flowers in my garden. It's good to be around here. I learn not just about flowers but also types of bugs. Cool!
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