Hi Everyone, I’m hoping someone can help us out here.
Our Mulberry tree is 6 years old approximately well that is the smallest one. The weeping one we don’t know how old it is but we bought it last year. We have not had much success with it bearing fruit or even getting leaves.We have suspected bugs before but have never been able to find evidence of them. OH just discovered this morning a very tiny beetle looking bug right at the base of a new shoot coming off the main stem. He’s broken the shoots off right at the main stem and shook the bits in his hand and there were these little flea sized beetles. We’ve never experienced this bug before on mulberry’s , well not in Qld we didn’t anyway and we can’t seem to find any info on them. All the pictures of bugs and we still haven’t found one that looks like it. He thinks it’s a bug mite of some sort.
We live in Tasmania by the way.

Hi there! Now I know not much about Mulberries but if you hang in here and remain patient, a few of the crew here who are prolly eating dinner at the mo’, may pop in later and maybe able to help you identify the bug.

Have you checked the bug under a magnifying glass? Can it fly? Is it long or a short little fat bug…?

its very tiny and we don’t have a magnifying glass but it’s kind of longish but not overly long about as big as a tiny ant but fatter. It’s hard to explain. If I can I will try to take a picture of it and the damage it’s doing. It’s overcast and quite dark here now with it so will see what I can post tomorrow. Thanks for replying so fast pain master.

Is the bug a chewer or a sucker? Any sticky sap left behind by said bug?

And how’s the overall health of the tree? Do you think that the tree is currently under a bit of stress, is the root zone well mulched? Can you see any predatory bugs in your garden?

I find that at this time of year, when the first really hot weather has hit, that all sorts of bugs and beetles swarm. They will be all over various plants and may do some damage but that it is only for a short time. I am not convinced that they are necessarily doing the damage either, but are just resting on the plants. However they are usually only around for a short time to breed, and then die.

I’m with you blue, I don’t think it is time to raise the panic alarm. But hopefully tassiearthgirl will get back to us with some photos and maybe a description of the damage so far? And maybe they’ll enjoy the cool vibe of this ‘ere forum and return for more gardening/bug advice?

HI guys,
The bug settles itself inside the base of a leaf stem and then this bit all shrivels up and goes hard. You can’t actually see the bug until you crush the dead bits. There is no sticky residue either. We in Tassie don’t get it as hot as the mainland. The tree is mulched and lives next door to an apricot and behind that on the fence line about 8 feet is a line of some type of pine tree. We were going to move the mulberry tree that was here first but now we don’t think it’s the position its in but this bug that has been causing the problems. Umm i’ll see if my hubby can explain it a bit more shortly he’s on the phone to his mum in NZ at the moment cause it’s his 50th birthday today.
I’ll be back shortly

Happy birthday to hubby, Tassieaearthgirl! Sorry I can’t help with your question, but I’ll be interested to hear any other answers you get. Good luck!

tassiearthgirl said:

HI guys,
The bug settles itself inside the base of a leaf stem and then this bit all shrivels up and goes hard. You can’t actually see the bug until you crush the dead bits. There is no sticky residue either. We in Tassie don’t get it as hot as the mainland. The tree is mulched and lives next door to an apricot and behind that on the fence line about 8 feet is a line of some type of pine tree. We were going to move the mulberry tree that was here first but now we don’t think it’s the position its in but this bug that has been causing the problems. Umm i’ll see if my hubby can explain it a bit more shortly he’s on the phone to his mum in NZ at the moment cause it’s his 50th birthday today.
I’ll be back shortly

um..

I’m waiting for photo’s

But.. I’ll say that there is as has been said, often an overabundance of many insects often occurs until the balance rights itself.
If the tree is suffering.. and by the sounds of it if this keeps up for long enough it will cause the tree to suffer, then you may choose to take action.
Milk, or anything fatty such as pure soap or even a summer oil(white oil).
Pyrethrum should kill most such bugs but maybe only in the juvenile stages. Pyrethrum also damages young shoots esp., in warm weather.
Nicotene will also probably do the job. Both pyrethrum and nicotene should only be sprayed before or after bees come out to play.
There are other methods but I’d try the above first.

In truth there are usually few problems with mulberries and very few that can be blamed on having an apricot next to it.

the typical beetle that goes Mulberries is the longhorn, but this fella doesn’t sound big enough, but he does sound like he behaves the same way, you know, boring into the stems and doing his damage internally.

ok organic solutions would be to read roughbarked’s post and use a white oil or a soapy spray, something that will cling to the entire plant and suffocate and smother the beetle. Now this little guy will suffer with this method as he’s small and won’t be able to get his head above water or so to speak, but he is sneaky and he likes to hang out inside little spaces where he may be able to trap a small pocket of air and wait it out until the soap or oil has gone… drats.

a chili or a garlic spray may make your mulberry taste not to his liking, so you could give that a go???

now both of these methods have to be applied with good accuracy in order to get a good kill.

ok, those of you organicarians, turn off now.

If you feel the need to go nuclear and feel all Sadam Hussein and you want weapons of mass destruction, as George Dubbya calls ‘em, then you may need a systemic pesticide. Now systemic means that the poison will get into the bloodstream of the mulberry and get the pest (and everything else) right where he is feeding. Try a malathion or a rogor and follow the instruction carefully.

pain master said:

the typical beetle that goes Mulberries is the longhorn, but this fella doesn’t sound big enough, but he does sound like he behaves the same way, you know, boring into the stems and doing his damage internally.

ok organic solutions would be to read roughbarked’s post and use a white oil or a soapy spray, something that will cling to the entire plant and suffocate and smother the beetle. Now this little guy will suffer with this method as he’s small and won’t be able to get his head above water or so to speak, but he is sneaky and he likes to hang out inside little spaces where he may be able to trap a small pocket of air and wait it out until the soap or oil has gone… drats.

a chili or a garlic spray may make your mulberry taste not to his liking, so you could give that a go???

now both of these methods have to be applied with good accuracy in order to get a good kill.

ok, those of you organicarians, turn off now.

If you feel the need to go nuclear and feel all Sadam Hussein and you want weapons of mass destruction, as George Dubbya calls ‘em, then you may need a systemic pesticide. Now systemic means that the poison will get into the bloodstream of the mulberry and get the pest (and everything else) right where he is feeding. Try a malathion or a rogor and follow the instruction carefully.

Malathion is an organophosphate parasympathomimetic which binds irreversibly to cholinesterase, is a contact insecticide so you have to hit the insect or get enough on the leaves so that the insect contacts it. Holding period 7 days. Malathion itself is of low toxicity; however, absorption or ingestion into the human body readily results in its metabolism to malaoxon, which is substantially more toxic. www.chem-tox.com/malathion/research/

Rogor is systemic. An anti-cholinesterase compound. I’d be googling this to learn about anti-cholinesterase compounds. There are at least two strengths of Rogor. Rogor 100, usually 100g Dimethoate. While Rogor is 400g Dimethoate. Why can’t it be applied to Meyer Lemons, Cumquats, Seville Orange, Apricots, Figs, Chrysanthemums, Begonias, Gloxinias, Loquats?
The application of chemical products is directed by the APVMA ( the regulatory body that is responsible for all registrations of chemical products in Australia) after careful assessment.

Can I pick fruits after application and leave in the fridge for 7 days before eating as a withholding period?
No, the withholding period means the time up to harvest. The withholding period is critical as this is the time it takes for the chemical, in this case Rogor, to be cleared out of the plant and fruits system so that there is no risk of the chemical being consumed.

Why can’t Rogor be used on Apricots?
Rogor is not registered for use on Apricots as the average daily intake for children eating apricots sprayed with Dimethoate is 100 times higher than allowed.

roughbarked said:

pain master said:

the typical beetle that goes Mulberries is the longhorn, but this fella doesn’t sound big enough, but he does sound like he behaves the same way, you know, boring into the stems and doing his damage internally.

ok organic solutions would be to read roughbarked’s post and use a white oil or a soapy spray, something that will cling to the entire plant and suffocate and smother the beetle. Now this little guy will suffer with this method as he’s small and won’t be able to get his head above water or so to speak, but he is sneaky and he likes to hang out inside little spaces where he may be able to trap a small pocket of air and wait it out until the soap or oil has gone… drats.

a chili or a garlic spray may make your mulberry taste not to his liking, so you could give that a go???

now both of these methods have to be applied with good accuracy in order to get a good kill.

ok, those of you organicarians, turn off now.

If you feel the need to go nuclear and feel all Sadam Hussein and you want weapons of mass destruction, as George Dubbya calls ‘em, then you may need a systemic pesticide. Now systemic means that the poison will get into the bloodstream of the mulberry and get the pest (and everything else) right where he is feeding. Try a malathion or a rogor and follow the instruction carefully.

Malathion is an organophosphate parasympathomimetic which binds irreversibly to cholinesterase, is a contact insecticide so you have to hit the insect or get enough on the leaves so that the insect contacts it. Holding period 7 days. Malathion itself is of low toxicity; however, absorption or ingestion into the human body readily results in its metabolism to malaoxon, which is substantially more toxic. www.chem-tox.com/malathion/research/

Rogor is systemic. An anti-cholinesterase compound. I’d be googling this to learn about anti-cholinesterase compounds. There are at least two strengths of Rogor. Rogor 100, usually 100g Dimethoate. While Rogor is 400g Dimethoate. Why can’t it be applied to Meyer Lemons, Cumquats, Seville Orange, Apricots, Figs, Chrysanthemums, Begonias, Gloxinias, Loquats?
The application of chemical products is directed by the APVMA ( the regulatory body that is responsible for all registrations of chemical products in Australia) after careful assessment.

Can I pick fruits after application and leave in the fridge for 7 days before eating as a withholding period?
No, the withholding period means the time up to harvest. The withholding period is critical as this is the time it takes for the chemical, in this case Rogor, to be cleared out of the plant and fruits system so that there is no risk of the chemical being consumed.

Why can’t Rogor be used on Apricots?
Rogor is not registered for use on Apricots as the average daily intake for children eating apricots sprayed with Dimethoate is 100 times higher than allowed.

Good call roughbarked, anti-cholenesterae compounds are super rude and are responsible for interesting changes in sexes by North Sea fish and Florida Crocodiles. My recommendation to Tassiearthgirl was merely to kill the bugs she felt were damaging her Mulberry. The choice is now hers…

it’s a bit of late advice –
but i noticed that our silk worms have been fed about half our big black mulberry tree. i guess in their native china they were fed to the worms about now – so you could probably prune the tree hard.
having pruned off anything dubious you could then feed (manure and seaweed) it and mulch it – in the hope that a stronger tree last year would shake off its problems.

Hi guys and dolls, Sorry I haven’t been back but i’ve been working and it’s hard juggling work and home as well. (we’re dairy farmers)
Hubby is bringing out the big guns and going to spray with one of your suggestions. I can’t remember which one but yeah anyway. I did take photo’s how do I get them here? Do I upload them to photobucket first?

tassiearthgirl said:

Hi guys and dolls, Sorry I haven’t been back but i’ve been working and it’s hard juggling work and home as well. (we’re dairy farmers)
Hubby is bringing out the big guns and going to spray with one of your suggestions. I can’t remember which one but yeah anyway. I did take photo’s how do I get them here? Do I upload them to photobucket first?

Yes TEG. Upload to the bucket and you can post thumbnails on here.