Eating my encephalartos

[5150cycad]

I might have two different issues here but it appears that they are both getting eaten by something. One is a true blue arenarius and the other is a dyeranius. I also have a natalensis x woodii x woodii f2 that is just starting to flush and I am trying to protect it from whatever is eating it. Thanks to all! 

[Palm Tree Jim]

Rabbits!!!!

Since last year, I have been the victim of multiple attacks on my new cycad flushes.

I went to Home Depot and purchased wire fencing for each of the smaller cycads. It happened on smaller cycads and not the larger ones. My guess is that they could not penetrate the old growth to get to the new soft flushes.....

Since this problem, I have been relocating the rabbits whenever I can!

If you want, I can take some pictures later for you.

[5150cycad]

That makes perfect sense. If u don't mind, could you send some pictures. Also. If you look at the first picture, it seems like the leaves are almost stuck together not allowing the leaves to open. It is almost identical

4 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

Rabbits!!!!

Since last year, I have been the victim of multiple attacks on my new cycad flushes.

I went to Home Depot and purchased wire fencing for each of the smaller cycads. It happened on smaller cycads and not the larger ones. My guess is that they could not penetrate the old growth to get to the new soft flushes.....

Since this problem, I have been relocating the rabbits whenever I can!

If you want, I can take some pictures later for you.

If u don't mind posting a picture that would be great. Thank you.  That does makes perfect sense as this only happens to my smaller plants. Also. If you look at the first picture in my earlier post, it seems like the leaves are almost stuck together not allowing the leaves to open. It is almost identical to the clear sticky ooze that encephalartos produce when a leave is cut or right before they start flushing. Do u know what I am talking about? Du you know what could be causing that? Lastly, I attached a picture of another problem I am having. Do u think the leave damage is from the heat? This just started appearing on my plant this season. Thank you very much for your response.  

[LJG]

Looks like it flushed during the heat wave. 

[5150cycad]

43 minutes ago, LJG said:

Looks like it flushed during the heat wave. 

I hope that is the case. Just weird because I have had the same plants go through worse heat during the flushing period. Maybe something to do with the moisture in the air as well as the heat. Glad to hear it is just the heat though. Thank you

[LJG]

That's my guess. Maybe Mn deficiency if it flushes like this again. Again, just guesses. 

[Palm Tree Jim]

I had some cycads flush during our heat wave and show a similar burn.

Although a guess from Len, I'm on the same page. The good news is that I am getting some second flushes this year!

 

[Palm Tree Jim]

19 hours ago, 5150cycad said:

That makes perfect sense. If u don't mind, could you send some pictures. Also. If you look at the first picture, it seems like the leaves are almost stuck together not allowing the leaves to open. It is almost identical

If u don't mind posting a picture that would be great. Thank you.  That does makes perfect sense as this only happens to my smaller plants. Also. If you look at the first picture in my earlier post, it seems like the leaves are almost stuck together not allowing the leaves to open. It is almost identical to the clear sticky ooze that encephalartos produce when a leave is cut or right before they start flushing. Do u know what I am talking about? Du you know what could be causing that? Lastly, I attached a picture of another problem I am having. Do u think the leave damage is from the heat? This just started appearing on my plant this season. Thank you very much for your response.  

Some pictures for you of the damage left by the rabbits.

 

[Palm Tree Jim]

Another pic.

[Palm Tree Jim]

And one more.

 

[5150cycad]

7 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

And one more.

 

Thanks for the comments guys. Those pictures look just like mine. Depressing since they usually only flush once a year. It's funny because when they get chomped they will usually send out another set of leaves just to be eaten again. Darn little bastards

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I had a rabbit come in the cycad house and eat some cycas t x r seedlings a few weeks ago. Pulled up 5 out of a pot, ate a few leaves, chewed on a seed then left. With any luck that made the rabbit sick and deterred it from coming back. I know the rats wont eat more than one seed before they die and squirrels will only eat macrozamia moorei seeds. 

[Gonzer]

On ‎8‎/‎20‎/‎2016‎ ‎7‎:‎34‎:‎48‎, LJG said:

Looks like it flushed during the heat wave. 

This.

[Tracy]

On 8/20/2016, 3:14:57, 5150cycad said:

If you look at the first picture in my earlier post, it seems like the leaves are almost stuck together not allowing the leaves to open. It is almost identical to the clear sticky ooze that encephalartos produce when a leave is cut or right before they start flushing. Do u know what I am talking about? Du you know what could be causing that? Lastly, I attached a picture of another problem I am having. Do u think the leave damage is from the heat? This just started appearing on my plant this season. Thank you very much for your response.  

 

When I looked at the photos, I couldn't help but think that the end result photos of the hardened off leaves is similar to the results of a scale infestation I had at the beginning of summer on an E longifolius which was flushing.  I posted photos previously, and ended up using an insecticidal soap to spray all the scale.  The act of spraying them physically did as much as the actual insecticidal soap in resolving my problem.  In my case though the infestation was very clear.  The end result photo from after they hardened off, is the same though.  When I hear that the leaves are sticking together instead of opening as the flush pushes, resembles what I occasionally see with when I spot white mealy bug on my flushing cycads.  That black scale in the photo is the worst I have ever experienced, so not the norm.  A few white mealybugs are not uncommon for me to find though.  So it could be heat, it could be rabbits/rodents, and finally it could be mealybug.... you just have to monitor when they are flushing and see if you can rule anything out or find some telltale signs.  The warning signs of my problem in the first two photos, and the similar end result appearance to your problem is shown in the third photo after the flush hardened.

[Kevin S]

 I ended up having to put cages around every one of my cycads.  Originally I was using metal fence post for the wire but now I just use rebar.  Rebar is a very cheap affordable long-lasting steak for holding up wire fence to protect plants.  From in the photo you could also see how you shade cloth on top.

[5150cycad]

20 hours ago, Tracy said:

When I looked at the photos, I couldn't help but think that the end result photos of the hardened off leaves is similar to the results of a scale infestation I had at the beginning of summer on an E longifolius which was flushing.  I posted photos previously, and ended up using an insecticidal soap to spray all the scale.  The act of spraying them physically did as much as the actual insecticidal soap in resolving my problem.  In my case though the infestation was very clear.  The end result photo from after they hardened off, is the same though.  When I hear that the leaves are sticking together instead of opening as the flush pushes, resembles what I occasionally see with when I spot white mealy bug on my flushing cycads.  That black scale in the photo is the worst I have ever experienced, so not the norm.  A few white mealybugs are not uncommon for me to find though.  So it could be heat, it could be rabbits/rodents, and finally it could be mealybug.... you just have to monitor when they are flushing and see if you can rule anything out or find some telltale signs.  The warning signs of my problem in the first two photos, and the similar end result appearance to your problem is shown in the third photo after the flush hardened.

Tracy,

Thank you for the pictures and information. Very helpful. I think u are right. It is probably a combination of different problems. I don't see black scale or mealy bugs on them now but I know I have had problems with them in the past. I don't think it would hurt to spray some of that insecticidal soap on them. Could definitely help them along. 

 

Kevin, 

thanks for the pictures. I think I might do that for my seedlings as they are the ones that seem to get eaten. Someone made a good point that they are easier to get to because they don't have the protection of say a horridus with a full set of leaves. This only happens to my plants that are 1"-2" or smaller

[Tracy]

3 hours ago, 5150cycad said:

I don't think it would hurt to spray some of that insecticidal soap on them. Could definitely help them along. 

I would only spray them if you actually see actual scale or mites.  I wouldn't expect to see much of a problem with either once a new flush has hardened.