Bug Shell Hanging out of my Howittii

We have some unique pests to deal with in Australia. Post your experiences and treatments here for others to learn from.
Post Reply
User avatar
kcpoole
Perpetual Learner
Perpetual Learner
Posts: 12289
Joined: November 12th, 2008, 4:02 pm
Favorite Species: Maple
Bonsai Age: 15
Bonsai Club: the School Of Bonsai
Location: Western Sydney, NSW, Australia
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 94 times
Contact:
Contact kcpoole

Bug Shell Hanging out of my Howittii

Post by kcpoole »

Hi all
a few weeks ago, I noticed that my Acacia howittii had a hole in the middle of the trunk that had been covered in Bark. When I poked it the bark fell in the hole underneath and revealed a hole down the centre of the trunk that was several inches deep. It had been there a while as the bark had started rollin around the edges.
I took to school and Clinton and Ray reckoned it was some form of borer that had since dissapeared. I repotted the tree last week and there was nothing in the soil to indicate stress or anything eating the roots. The tree was potted into Akadama, but now in Diatomite mix.

Today when taking pics of my watering system, Notices a shell of a bug hanging out of it. I poked an prodded it and the Black head fell off and left the rest of the shell in there. I stuck a stick in it and pulled the rest out to reveal a hard shell ( like a cicada shell) but the bug looks like it crwaled out the "head' end and left the rest in the hole.
The hole is about 20 mm diameter and the bug carapace must have been about 2 inches in length
anyone have any idea what is was?

Ken
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Check out our Wiki for awesome bonsai information www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki
What is Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Bonsai
What should I do now? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Newbie
How do I grow a Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _a_Bonsai?
Visit a Bonsai nursery to see some real nice trees http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _Nurseries
Top
Handy Mick
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 785
Joined: May 8th, 2010, 4:52 pm
Favorite Species: all species
Bonsai Age: 0
Bonsai Club: Goulburn Bonsai society, Southern Highlands Bonsai Group
Location: Bundanoon, Southern Highlands
Contact:
Contact Handy Mick

Re: Bug Shell Hanging out of my Howittii

Post by Handy Mick »

Witchity grub, they bore holes in timber and look similar, not sure if they shed a skin though.
I had several in my money tree.

Mick
Visit my website http://www.handy-mick.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Follow my page on Facebook. Southern Highlands Handy Mick
Top
User avatar
Joel
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1203
Joined: November 12th, 2008, 3:04 pm
Favorite Species: A yet to be found native
Bonsai Age: 0
Bonsai Club: The School of Bonsai
Location: Gladstone, QLD
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: Bug Shell Hanging out of my Howittii

Post by Joel »

I think it is the exoskeleton of the larvae of a longicorn beetle. Some useful information here: http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/plant_info ... ng_insects

Joel
Top
63pmp
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 492
Joined: December 20th, 2008, 7:41 pm
Bonsai Age: 25
Location: rural NSW
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Bug Shell Hanging out of my Howittii

Post by 63pmp »

The bright side of it Ken, is that it won't take long to make a hollow trunk out of your tree.

Paul
"The older I get, the less I know"
Top
User avatar
kcpoole
Perpetual Learner
Perpetual Learner
Posts: 12289
Joined: November 12th, 2008, 4:02 pm
Favorite Species: Maple
Bonsai Age: 15
Bonsai Club: the School Of Bonsai
Location: Western Sydney, NSW, Australia
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 94 times
Contact:
Contact kcpoole

Re: Bug Shell Hanging out of my Howittii

Post by kcpoole »

63pmp wrote:The bright side of it Ken, is that it won't take long to make a hollow trunk out of your tree.

Paul
LOL :lol: already done that now! :o :o Dunno how deep it is, but there must not be any more wood left on the trunk!

Ken
Last edited by kcpoole on November 3rd, 2011, 9:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Check out our Wiki for awesome bonsai information www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki
What is Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Bonsai
What should I do now? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Newbie
How do I grow a Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _a_Bonsai?
Visit a Bonsai nursery to see some real nice trees http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _Nurseries
Top
Pat093
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 267
Joined: May 5th, 2010, 8:04 pm
Favorite Species: Maple, Eucalyptus.
Bonsai Age: 1
Location: Newcastle
Contact:
Contact Pat093

Re: Bug Shell Hanging out of my Howittii

Post by Pat093 »

witchety grub
"I'm always look'in out my own eyes"

Pat
Top
Hornet
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 503
Joined: August 2nd, 2011, 2:29 pm
Favorite Species: Ficus, Natives, Mosses
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: brisbane
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Bug Shell Hanging out of my Howittii

Post by Hornet »

not a witchetty grub, as joel said its from the pupae of a longicorn beetle. They seem to love acacia, used to get heaps in our old fimbriata before it was cut down
Top
User avatar
kcpoole
Perpetual Learner
Perpetual Learner
Posts: 12289
Joined: November 12th, 2008, 4:02 pm
Favorite Species: Maple
Bonsai Age: 15
Bonsai Club: the School Of Bonsai
Location: Western Sydney, NSW, Australia
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 94 times
Contact:
Contact kcpoole

Re: Bug Shell Hanging out of my Howittii

Post by kcpoole »

Cool thansk everyone. I got the biggest shock when I saw it there :o :o

Ken
Check out our Wiki for awesome bonsai information www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki
What is Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Bonsai
What should I do now? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Newbie
How do I grow a Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _a_Bonsai?
Visit a Bonsai nursery to see some real nice trees http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _Nurseries
Top
Hornet
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 503
Joined: August 2nd, 2011, 2:29 pm
Favorite Species: Ficus, Natives, Mosses
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: brisbane
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Bug Shell Hanging out of my Howittii

Post by Hornet »

these things really used to freak me out, i was actually afriad to go near the tree in fear of being attacked lol. Love longicorns now though, beautiful beetles, my mates a taxonomist who mainly works with beetles so i collect them for him these days, soo many pretty species around
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Pests and Diseases”