What are those black spots?
I've just found these black things on a few of my plant's leaves. What are they? They look like some sort of eggs and aren't easy to remove. Are they some sort of pest? I haven't seen any organisms that are alive, at least. #Peperomia
2ft to light, indirect
6” pot with drainage
Last watered 1 week ago
12
Best Answer
Oooh, interesting! I love this.
I'm pretty sure what you are seeing are eggs from a black sawfly. And you are right they are very hard to remove.
This is because, the female sawfly has a specialized, saw-like organ (ovipositor) that she slices the plant tissue open and tucks her eggs inside.
The eggs are what I see on top of the leaf. Now the slug like shape on the lower part looks like a pupae. This happens before they turn into the sawfly. They stick to the leaf surface very well too because they are feeding on the leaf.
The will not move but be quite stationary.
Yours is, if I am right. The black rose sawfly. Common to your area of the world. Their pupae is black and sort of resembles a small slug.
I'll include a treatment plan in my next post for you.
They do feed on leaves but they don't drink the sap. They are the bug that leaves a lace like appearance on a leaf as they feed @MariansOasis @DreamMachine
I'm pretty sure what you are seeing are eggs from a black sawfly. And you are right they are very hard to remove.
This is because, the female sawfly has a specialized, saw-like organ (ovipositor) that she slices the plant tissue open and tucks her eggs inside.
The eggs are what I see on top of the leaf. Now the slug like shape on the lower part looks like a pupae. This happens before they turn into the sawfly. They stick to the leaf surface very well too because they are feeding on the leaf.
The will not move but be quite stationary.
Yours is, if I am right. The black rose sawfly. Common to your area of the world. Their pupae is black and sort of resembles a small slug.
I'll include a treatment plan in my next post for you.
They do feed on leaves but they don't drink the sap. They are the bug that leaves a lace like appearance on a leaf as they feed @MariansOasis @DreamMachine
They are most common in spring and summer. In late summer the pupae drop into the soil where they go dormant inside of a cocoon to emerge again in spring of next year.
Treatment is easy. But they can come back. If you are noticing any of the critters you see in the photo above it's possible they can make their way indoors and lay more eggs. So, you just need to keep an eye out.
For treatment I like natural. So I recommend:
15 ml of PURE neem oil mixed into 1000 ml water
OR
15 ml Castile Soap (I like Bronners) mixed into 1000 ml of water.
Treat every 7 days for 3 weeks.
I just mix it up in a spray bottle give it a shake and spray down the plant thoroughly. Make sure you get the bottoms of the leaves. Sawfly's like to lay them there.
Treatment is easy. But they can come back. If you are noticing any of the critters you see in the photo above it's possible they can make their way indoors and lay more eggs. So, you just need to keep an eye out.
For treatment I like natural. So I recommend:
15 ml of PURE neem oil mixed into 1000 ml water
OR
15 ml Castile Soap (I like Bronners) mixed into 1000 ml of water.
Treat every 7 days for 3 weeks.
I just mix it up in a spray bottle give it a shake and spray down the plant thoroughly. Make sure you get the bottoms of the leaves. Sawfly's like to lay them there.
@SuperbRaspfern oh very interesting! Definitely saving this. How many treatments does it take to get rid of them?
Also while I have you here Shannon, and if Celine @LadyCeline doesn’t mind, can you take a look at this leaf of my micans? (Marian @MariansOasis I found this leaf after we’d commented on this post earlier, can you believe it?! 😆🤨)
I’m suspecting sun stress, because my micans is in a spot where this leaf was accidental in the path of strong western facing sun. The sun comes through a tree first, then into my window, so I was thinking the weird wavy edge was from tree leaves’ shadow. All the other leaves are fine and their normal velvety green. But now I’m hoping it’s not the sawfly’s cousin or something 🙃 It was startling because it looked like blood!
Also while I have you here Shannon, and if Celine @LadyCeline doesn’t mind, can you take a look at this leaf of my micans? (Marian @MariansOasis I found this leaf after we’d commented on this post earlier, can you believe it?! 😆🤨)
I’m suspecting sun stress, because my micans is in a spot where this leaf was accidental in the path of strong western facing sun. The sun comes through a tree first, then into my window, so I was thinking the weird wavy edge was from tree leaves’ shadow. All the other leaves are fine and their normal velvety green. But now I’m hoping it’s not the sawfly’s cousin or something 🙃 It was startling because it looked like blood!
Once a week every for 3 weeks. I forgot that part, thank you.
Your micans is absolutely fine that is just Extrafloral Nectaries (EFNs). Perfectly normal it's a sugary substance they can leak out. It starts out clear, sometimes it can be a little yellow. But as it dries it oxidizes and turns reddish or brown. They don't all do it but sometimes you get to be the lucky winner of one that does it.
In the wild it attracts good beneficial insects to help pollinate.
I suspect since she was in the direct path of bright sun she got a bit stressed. That can also encourage it to happen. It won't hurt her though. It can be sticky so if you get the EFNs on green leaves you can gently wipe it off with a soft cloth with warm water on it.
The wavy pattern does look neat though. Definitely sun stress. They are quite fragile. But I love them. Mine is kind of tucked away between other plants toward the wall. That way she doesn't get knocked around by my dogs and is protected from the sun. And, when she's a bit crowded surrounded by her plant buddies. She is getting a bit more humidity from her plant friends.
Your micans is absolutely fine that is just Extrafloral Nectaries (EFNs). Perfectly normal it's a sugary substance they can leak out. It starts out clear, sometimes it can be a little yellow. But as it dries it oxidizes and turns reddish or brown. They don't all do it but sometimes you get to be the lucky winner of one that does it.
In the wild it attracts good beneficial insects to help pollinate.
I suspect since she was in the direct path of bright sun she got a bit stressed. That can also encourage it to happen. It won't hurt her though. It can be sticky so if you get the EFNs on green leaves you can gently wipe it off with a soft cloth with warm water on it.
The wavy pattern does look neat though. Definitely sun stress. They are quite fragile. But I love them. Mine is kind of tucked away between other plants toward the wall. That way she doesn't get knocked around by my dogs and is protected from the sun. And, when she's a bit crowded surrounded by her plant buddies. She is getting a bit more humidity from her plant friends.
@SuperbRaspfern ohhhh that makes a lot of sense, thank you! I usually only catch EFN’s when they are clear, and did not see this until after it had already oxidized, (and AFTER I saw Céline’s original post 😂). It’s at the time of year when my west facing window is getting a bit too bright and hot for some. Rearranging will occur!
I also think it’s really sweet that they can call in their beneficial insect buddies. That’s how I realized my ctenanthe was wanting more frequent waterings than what I was giving him when I first got him. He was great but always SO sticky, and suddenly ants were everywhere. I started watering him more often and the sticky nectaries have not returned since!
I also think it’s really sweet that they can call in their beneficial insect buddies. That’s how I realized my ctenanthe was wanting more frequent waterings than what I was giving him when I first got him. He was great but always SO sticky, and suddenly ants were everywhere. I started watering him more often and the sticky nectaries have not returned since!
@MariansOasis I don't think so, as I live on the fourth floor in the city and I’d probably have noticed if there was a snail or caterpillar about. But I also think it’s most likely 💩
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@SuperbRaspfern Thank you very much for such a detailed reply. You seem to know a great deal about all of this. I'm just surprised that I haven't seen any of the adult Sawflys yet. But I've been following your adviced treatment, and so far I think it's helped so I will continue with it for the next two weeks. Thanks again and of course I don't mind if you use this post to talk about further topics @DreamMachine 😊. Good luck with your plant🤞🏼