Looks like an immature wheel bug, it’s a voracious insect predator, definitely a friend
Coddling moth is the main pest. We do not have that Saturn moth.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Tana. I find there isn’t much spraying needed for Pears here, either. However, I had Japanese beetle move in to the plums (which they love) the day I was leaving for a 4 day trip, so I sprayed them with surround, and with a little extra left in the sprayer, decided to use it on the pears that were being munched. The underside isn’t really fuzzy, per-se, just darker. I am also concerned about the leader that seems to have a similar effect going on as when you see fireblight spread… makes me wonder if it is a different blight. Of course, I also wonder about it being underwatered and sunburn (UV is intense here), though I don’t see paleness in leaves I would typically see in container trees that are underwatered. I will ask in the broader forum and see if I can get some additional ideas.
As to the foliar damage, we do have coddling moth (and many other moths), but I don’t know about others that attack pears.
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Anyone have any ideas of what this might be? Some kind of insect nymph is about as far as I can guess. Maybe some species of true bug? It’s on an outdoor avocado tree here in Seattle.
I’ve only seen the adults,but that looks like a Chinavia halaris,Green Stink Bug nymph(instar).
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It sure does look a lot like the third instar photo here:
Source:
https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/bean/green_stink_bug.htm
The coloration isn’t identical, but it’s very close and I’m guessing they have some variation.
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Yes, that is a stink bug nymph, not of much concern in small numbers unless BMSB. The greens do start out very dark.
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Fireblight on my seckel pear? Was totally clean two weeks ago and came back from vacation to the whole tree looking like this.
@Loafnut Has it been pretty dry there lately? The branches look like they are getting wrinkled and desiccated.
@TJ_westPA It’s been quite dry so that’s possible. Although none of the other trees are showing water stress including one planted this spring. I’ll hit it with some water and see if it perks up.
@Loafnut I’ve had young pears show water stress like that pretty suddenly. I have to keep a closer eye on them during droughts compared to my apples and stone fruits.
Looks like the culprit is sticking its butt out of one hole, you could take it out for a clear photo maybe:
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I thought it was just displaced flesh. Whatever it is, I hope the thrushes that hop around under my tomatoes got it.
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Those look like baby stinky bugs. They are bad news.
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Stink Bugs are out in force.Nezara viridula nymphs, is my guess.Plant eaters.
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Good thing I squashed all of them, then…
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Those holes are typical of slug damage.
No slugs up there, fortunately and thanks to my duck squad… The holes were 3mm in diameter, probably some kind of caterpillar?
that would be my guess based on it’s butt. Do you have tomato hornworms in Europe?
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