Someone was munching my Dypsis leptocheilos

[Tracy]

I noticed the newest spear on my Dypsis leptocheilos was opening much earlier in the process of emerging than most of the others has, and just attributed it to summer enthusiasm.  I just did a closer examination and noticed that it probably opened early due to the stress of something which was munching on it before it emerged.  I have seen grasshoppers do damage on exposed leaves before but not down deep like this.  It appears the damage was done in the heart of the palm to me, but I can't be certain.  I had some damage from a very young grasshopper which I caught trying to munch on the very soft emerging flush of my Encephalartos inopinus within the last couple of weeks.  Fortunately I caught it on the second day I found it on the inopinus and was able to kill it.  Unfortunately it did a little damage to a few leaves on it though.  That grasshopper was only about 3/4" to 1" long, so not big enough to do the damage on my leptocheilos.  Anyone seen this sort of damage before and caught the culprit, particularly if you are also here in Southern California?

The one shot of the entire palm shows that it is otherwise healthy in appearance.

[Steve Mac]

It looks like whatever it was, it was carrying it's own box cutter.  :-)

[Palm Tree Jim]

Interesting damage....I do have the occasional grasshopper stop by for a snack but it's always leaf damage. 

No sure what to make of it.

I hate to say it, bit your grasshopper's have good taste....going after your inopinus!

[Tracy]

8 minutes ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

I hate to say it, bit your grasshopper's have good taste....going after your inopinus!

Trust me Jim, I took great pleasure in terminating it after the damage to my Encephalartos inopinus.  !!!  I almost had tears myself hearing my E. inopinus opine on its pain (sign language only, it doesn't speak)!  I was quick though, I didn't make the grasshopper hurt long.  Regarding them doing mostly leaf damage, I do have to agree with that, but I have had them do some leaf damage very near the base of the newly emerging frond, but always the tender young leaflets, not the petiole itself.  Very strange damage indeed.

[5150cycad]

I agree that is very odd looking damage. Haven’t seen anything like that before.  I once had leaf damage near the base of  my Beccariophoenix alfredii but not on the petiole like shown in your photo. Glad to hear the culprit has been terminated. Otherwise the palm looks very healthy. It’s always frustrating when critters damage new leaves on palms and Cycads, especially Cycads since a lot of them only flush one time a year. Maybe u will get lucky and get another flush before the end of the growing season. 

[Steve Mac]

If I saw damage like that in my garden I would first suspect a person.

Child or person unknown, I can see how a person could do that, 

but no critter that would do that comes to mind.

Are you sure that they emerged like that or did you see it when it was out?

[Tracy]

5 hours ago, gtsteve said:

Are you sure that they emerged like that or did you see it when it was out?

I didn't notice it until the lower was partially out and took the first photo the next morning.  Since its in my backyard, and this is in a planter where no one but me ever walks (mainly to pull weeds), there isn't human contact.  I decided to spray it with some fungicide just as added protection.  It is also too high up for my dog to have run into it which for small palms is always a risk.  If it was something airborne, (a dog toy), it would have done damage to the adjacent leaflets on the older fronds, but the damage is very isolated to the petiole on one side.  As mentioned, this palm normally pushes the emerging spear out much further before leaflets open from the petiole, which drew my attention to it.

[Tracy]

On 7/10/2018, 3:25:48, gtsteve said:

If I saw damage like that in my garden I would first suspect a person.

Child or person unknown, I can see how a person could do that, 

but no critter that would do that comes to mind.

So right where the lower notch is on the petiole of the damage emerging leaf, I noticed that the same spot on the newest spear which split off has a bulge.  It was tricky trying to get my phone in to get a shot.   After seeing the previous damage I started watching the new growth for any strange characteristics and sure enough this bulge.  It seems to be growing though and I feel that I did the right thing applying fungicide after noticing the original notch

[Steve Mac]

It will be interesting to watch.

[Tracy]

On 7/10/2018, 3:25:48, gtsteve said:

If I saw damage like that in my garden I would first suspect a person.

Child or person unknown, I can see how a person could do that, 

but no critter that would do that comes to mind.

Are you sure that they emerged like that or did you see it when it was out?

So as that old spear emerged and opened, the outgrowth to fill the notch in the rachis which preceded it in emerging.  And yes, the notch seemed to emerge as the new spike pushed.  There were a couple of smaller notches above, which is what I first noticed and why I started watching this Dypsis letptocheilos.  I haven't seen any sign of any new notches on new growth to date.

[JubaeaMan138]

How about earwigs in the growing point at one time ? I’ve had them burrow through a dracaena Draco head . 

[Stevetoad]

maybe it got constipated and jammed up causing some rot. like when you get the zigzag leaves.

[DoomsDave]

Dang @Tracy, that's crazy [fecal material]!

Keep us apprized.

[Tracy]

On 7/14/2018 at 4:47 PM, gtsteve said:

It will be interesting to watch.

 

On 8/1/2018 at 7:49 PM, DoomsDave said:

Dang @Tracy, that's crazy [fecal material]!

Keep us apprized.

So it seemed to grow right on through the problem whatever it was.  Over the winter with all the wind, that particular frond is splitting, emanating from that notched out spot.  It has hung on thus far, and leaflets are still healthy green, but I won't be surprised if it breaks completely in a future wind storm.  I guess I will never really know what caused the problem in the first place.

[Palm Tree Jim]

The good news is the palm continues to grow.