There is a sage beetle, but they're big enough and shiny enough to spot. Apparently they're quite partial to rosemary too.
I couldn't find any reference to a special sage beetle. Is it the rosemary beetle that lives on sage and lavender too? @B3
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The leaf pattern damage looks much like caterpillar action to me. The RHS say it's the caterpillar stage of the rosemary beetle that cause the problems. The RHS also flag the caspid bug.
You can still eat the sage leaves, even if they have holes in.
Would ants do this? I've only ever seen one or two (normal) ants scuttling about, no nests nearby (there is on the property, but far on the other side). Other than that, I've checked at all times during the day now, and no luck to seeing anything nibbling away or on the plants (other than a white tiny spider and two golden-yellow small spiders who made some nice cobwebs.) No snail or slug trails either (and they're a raised bed, with top leaves being mainly eaten.) No sig of Rosemary beetle or any beetle like thing (ladybugs are 1000% fine and I'd happily serve them up a nice salad lol!)
There is a sage beetle, but they're big enough and shiny enough to spot. Apparently they're quite partial to rosemary too.
I couldn't find any reference to a special sage beetle. Is it the rosemary beetle that lives on sage and lavender too? @B3
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The leaf pattern damage looks much like caterpillar action to me. The RHS say it's the caterpillar stage of the rosemary beetle that cause the problems. The RHS also flag the caspid bug.
You can still eat the sage leaves, even if they have holes in.
I think you're right, it does look like Caspid damage! Especially with the brown around the holes.
So I've checked the internet and can only really find insecticide remedies, is there anything else - not - spray / harmful chemical wise I could use to deter them? I'm a fan of companion plants or using something more passive to keep pests at bay.
I don’t think there’s any need to do anything other than to get your sage growing strongly and we need sunny weather for that.
Once that happens there’ll be loads of new growth and you’ll not notice a little damage on some of the older leaves. 😊
Here's hoping for that heatwave then! Thanks for the encouragement, I'm weirdly glad they're eating the purple sage which was (local and independent) nursery grown, and not my own first generation sage (from seed)! They sure know which plants to pick and keep me begrudgingly happy!
I don’t think there’s any need to do anything other than to get your sage growing strongly and we need sunny weather for that.
Once that happens there’ll be loads of new growth and you’ll not notice a little damage on some of the older leaves. 😊
My salvia purpurescens is covered in nibbled leaves that look very much like caterpillar damage, to me. Its about 5 times the size of yours though, so now that the newest leaves are crowning on top, they’re masking the rubbish ones underneath.
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So I've checked the internet and can only really find insecticide remedies, is there anything else - not - spray / harmful chemical wise I could use to deter them? I'm a fan of companion plants or using something more passive to keep pests at bay.
Thank you so much!!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Its about 5 times the size of yours though, so now that the newest leaves are crowning on top, they’re masking the rubbish ones underneath.