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Help with bug identification please!

Design BodDesign Bod Posts: 58
edited May 2019 in Problem solving
Our cherry tree, which was planted last year, is having the leaves shredded/ munched by something and I'm trying to determine what it is so I can take action before it becomes just a bunch of stalks.  
I don't know if this critter is to blame or if he was just loitering but can anyone tell me what it is (it flew off after taking the pic). I’ve tried Googling but no luck. No other signs of insect life on the tree. Have also attached pics of the munched leaves.








Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    edited May 2019
    It's a froghopper. They suck sap but not to any harmful degree. Not your leaf muncher I'm afraid. Point the blame at the pigeons for that one.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Design BodDesign Bod Posts: 58
    @wild edges Many thanks for the identification :)

    Still no closer to identifying the leaf muncher though :( 
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Design Bod said:
    @wild edges Many thanks for the identification :)

    Still no closer to identifying the leaf muncher though :( 

    Sorry I edited my post to add about the pigeons.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Wood pigeons love cherry leaves 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Design BodDesign Bod Posts: 58
    @wild edges Pigeons, gosh, ok, we do have a lot about. Don’t like netting as traps ‘nicer’ birds so am off to hang some dangly shiny things on the tree. You’ve saved me spraying it unnecessarily, thank you :) 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I had to hang large ‘bow ties’ of kitchen foil in my amelanchier the other week cos the woodies had developed a taste tor the leaves 🙄 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I think they took apart my lambs ears stachys too, although it could have been the sparrows after nesting material. 

    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Design BodDesign Bod Posts: 58
    edited May 2019
    Thanks for the advice - action day taken!
    Didn’t know that wood pigeons likes leaves - have only seen them all out robbing blossom and fruit in the past. Every day’s a school day in the garden.

    It now looks like a bizarre Christmas tree covered in sparkly owls! See below (yes, I know I need to clear the thuggish grass away again around the trunk. Job for tomorrow).

    I think the birds have had their fill already but had to do something. Maybe it’ll keep them off the cherries #SomeHope

    Gave it some Growmore feed as well in case that might help more leaves return. Do we think that might happen?

    We also have disco owls over the bench seat, along with a very unattractive plastic owl, but they’re doing a good job of keeping the pigeons off the back of the bench where they liked to sit and leave extremely large ‘deposits’ on the seat 🙄









  • BrexiteerBrexiteer Posts: 955
    If you got 2 old cds hang them in your cherry Tree.  That works best for me 
  • Alan Clark2 in LiverpoolAlan Clark2 in Liverpool Posts: 2,190
    The insect looks like Cercopis vulnerata.
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