Black spots on pepper stems

[Chuck]

@Chuck

Hi. I see the first signs of leaf damage.

Zucchini plant:


View attachment 107387View attachment 107388


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This is the full plant. It is generally very healthy, but the damage will only get worse. Which pest is causing this?

View attachment 107391

I have to say a caterpillar.

 

[CrazyConure]

I have to say a caterpillar.

But I don’t see any. Hmm. I checked under the damaged leaves.

 

[CrazyConure]

@Chuck

I just found this

 

[CrazyConure]

Also, what’s this white web thing

 

[Chuck]

@Chuck

I just found this

That is either a mealy bug or a soft scale insect. They are a sucking insect and do not eat the leaves. Spray the plant either early in the AM or at dusk with Neem Oil.

 

[CrazyConure]

That is either a mealy bug or a soft scale insect. They are a sucking insect and do not eat the leaves. Spray the plant either early in the AM or at dusk with Neem Oil.

The neem oil is for the mealy bug/sucking insect?

I’ve been using insecticidal soap. I’m more concerned about the leaf damage, but I genuinely don’t see any caterpillars.

I have bt, neem oil, pyrethrin, and insecticidal soap.

Not sure if it’s a caterpillar, snail, or iguana, though.

 

[Chuck]

Also, what’s this white web thing

View attachment 107393

Not sure what that is. The area where it is appears to be on old damage as shown by the brown edges of the chewed leaves.

The neem oil is for the mealy bug/sucking insect?

I’ve been using insecticidal soap. I’m more concerned about the leaf damage, but I genuinely don’t see any caterpillars.

I have bt, neem oil, pyrethrin, and insecticidal soap.

Not sure if it’s a caterpillar, snail, or iguana, though.

Yes, but insecticidal soap is also effective against mealy bugs and soft scale/crawlers. Just spray again with the soap. Mealy bugs and soft scale rapidly reproduce so keep a close watch and spray everytime you see them. The soap and neem are contact killers on these insects. You will soon eradicate the problem.
About the white stuff. I don't know of any bug except a spittal bug that does anything similar. Never been around iguanas so I can't tell you what they do or don't do. If it were a snail or slug you would have seen a slime trail or the actual snail stuck on the plant somewhere.
Caterpillars can be all but invisible and I still think they are causing the damage. Take a very close look at your plants and then spray the entire plant with the Bt and that includes both sides of the leaves. If there is no more damage you know it was caterpillars. If there is new damage spray with spinosad like you did with the Bt. The only other thing that causes that kind of damage are grasshoppers and they are an entirely different problem with different solutions.

 

[CrazyConure]

I sprayed the plant last night with BT, and this morning there is a lot more damage.

One of the leaf is almost completely gone.

I checked every single leaf multiple times on different days, and I never saw one caterpillar. There wasn’t a single unturned leaf.

This damage is happening from the outside of the leaf, making its way to the center.

I will get a picture of the latest victim leaf. This is a huge mystery.

 

[CrazyConure]

I think it might be grasshoppers. I haven’t seen any, but the damage and timing is very consistent. What other creature can do this moderate damage but not be on the plant during the day?

 

[Chuck]

I think it might be grasshoppers. I haven’t seen any, but the damage and timing is very consistent. What other creature can do this moderate damage but not be on the plant during the day?

IF, IF you have sprayed with both spinosad and Bt it is either grasshoppers or a four legged creature. If it were grasshoppers you should see them around on the property. Have you gone out late at night and looked closely? It is possible that it is Palmetto bug and spinosad will kill them but they are solitary bugs and you might have killed some but others have taken their place. This is one of the worlds greatest mysteries.

 

[CrazyConure]

I’ve never, EVER seen grasshoppers in the Miami area. I’ve been living here for decades. I used to really like them, so I’d know if we had them.

I’m going to put the zucchini plant next to my outdoor cameras to try to get good footage. I will take pictures and videos of the plant prior to going to bed to compare it tomorrow.

I don’t know if the predator will go to the zucchini’s temporary spot, but at least I’ll know if it’s starting to attack my other plants.

The zucchini is all the way on the left. Interestingly, the leaf that was touching the bush was the first one of get problems. None of the other plants are affected. None of the other plants ever touched the bush.


I just sprayed a spinosad solution to the zucchini to kill the aphids and ants.

 

[CrazyConure]

Could it be earwigs?

I just remembered that we have crickets here. They can easily be heard every night.

 

[Chuck]

Could it be earwigs?

I just remembered that we have crickets here. They can easily be heard every night.

No, crickets don't do that sort of damage. And its not earwigs either. So, you're saying that the only plant to touch the bush is the only plant affected? If so, the culprit came from the bush. Spray the bush.

 

[CrazyConure]

I’m going to move the plants further from the bush. Let’s see if anything changes.

 

[CrazyConure]

One more comment: the outer older leaves are the ones mainly affected. Something is eating the taller, higher, outer, older leaves.

The damage is happening at night.

No pests can be found during the day.

The damage looks like someone ate the leaf and left the stem in tact, like taking a bite out of a popsicle stick.