Pest eating leaves & leaving thread like substance?

[benjimcr]

Hi

I was given a chinese elm in October last year. It currently lives indoors by an open window, it'll be outside when I move later this year.

It lost virtually all of its leaves in November & December, but has recentlly had a lot of growth. The leaves have a serrated edge, but I've noticed that something has been taking bites from the outside of the leaves. Due to the natural shape of the leaves this isn't noticeable until you scrutinse the tree.

Something is definitely taking bites out of the leaves. I can't see anything on the tree which is causing this. The only thing I've noticed is what looks like a very fine thread in small amounts, similar to that from spiders webs, on some of the branches. This thread isn't spun like a web, it seems to be more like a trail from something.

Can anyone help?

[Billy M. Rhodes]

Take a fork and dig around in the soil, maybe 1/4 inch deep, you might find a caterpillar that is eating at night and sleeping by day.

[JimLewis]

And also look under the pot and on its bottom. It's always moist there and critters love to hide out during the daylight hours.

[benjimcr]

Thanks Billy & Jim. I'll have a look & see what I can find.

[benjimcr]

Hi

I've dug around in the soil, but can't find anything.

I have found something on the underside of some leaves, but I'm not sure what it is.

On some of the leaves that have fallen off, on the underside there is what seems like a very fine white powder in small amounts. Whilst looking at this I noticed something only slightly larger moving. The bug (I can't be more descriptive without a magnifying glass) is larger than a grain of sand but smaller than a grain of rice. Its so small that I can't see how mang legs it has, but it was moving slowly around on the leaf. It is either white or flesh coloured and there is a dark mark on the top, I can't tell if this is a marking, head etc

Could this be what it is taking bites from the outer edges of the leaves?

[Billy M. Rhodes]

Might be mealy bug, a common problem on indoor plants of all kinds. You can use a weak (one tablespoon to a gallon of water, shake well.)soap solution to wipe them off.

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