This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Bugs attacking herbs. ID help!
Ranarama
Posts: 2
Hi all, first post, and I should say I'm an absolute gardening novice.
I planted some herbs in a raised planter a couple of months back and they've been growing really well but in the last week or so a bug of some sort has been attacking them. I've no idea what it is, it doesn't look like any of the common ones I've seen listed like greenfly etc. so got the macro lens out this evening to take some photos. Can anyone help and tell me what to do to get rid of them please? They all jump up in the air when you shake the plants but then very quickly settle back down on them. They seem particularly interested in the mint and sage.
These things are tiny so the last one is a huge crop of the original image.
Thanks in advance.
0
Posts
Might be adult froghoppers (their larvae live in 'cuckoo spit') or flea hoppers, which are sap-suckers.
What form is the attack taking? I can't see damage in the photos
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks all. Edd, i've googled images of thrips and they don't look the same, would they change through their life cycle?
nutcutlet, they were on a good leaf when I took those photos. although they seem to be attracted to the sage they don't seem to have done all that much to it but there are a few small discoloured spots on leaves. They are on the mint too and caused a lot of brown leaves. I cut all the damaged stems down which didn't leave a lot and it's growing back but the new leaves are already getting attacked. Seems they are not at all fussed by tarragon or chives though.
Would they be leafhoppers? the body shape seems fairly close but the markings don't match anything I've found on google.
no, I had a quick google and didn't spot anything. I don't think they're thrips, they have a blacker look to them and a different shape
It's a very clear photo so anyone who knows them will recognise them
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hi Ranarama, I have these this year, they are sage leafhoppers Eupteryx melissae. Though there is another similar one, check this link to see if this looks right. http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/homoptera/Cicadellidae/Eupteryx_melissae.html I
They suck the sap from the leaves, but I think you can still use the leaves for cooking. You could also try a wash of soap water over the leaves, which might get rid of them if you don't want them there. My plants have been fine with them on.