Please help me defeat my arch nemesis!

Every single year, some bug destroys my bridal veil astilbe. It sucks on the buds as they appear and damages them to the point that most won't flower. This year, I have tons of buds and I desperately don't want to lose them. In the past, I've gone out and picked off whatever critters I find on there. I've seen little lime green things similar to what another member posted in the "white aphid siting thread"...I guess that's a leaf hopper? I've also seen some kind of small two tone green/brown bug. And yesterday, I went out and found this little beige bug as I was inspecting some damaged looking foliage. That's another thing that happens along with the bud kill- black spots on the leaves which are not eggs, but dead spots. I think this little beige bug was the cause of the damage I saw yesterday.

I've always sprayed anything I've found on there with insecticidal soap- but the problem is that as I understand it, you have to make direct contact with the bugs for that to work. I just can't baby sit this plant 24/7 for the next month while it gears up to bloom!

Today I went out and bought a Neem oil concentrate (Bio-Neem), and sprayed the astilbe. It there any chance that will actually work as a preventative, or do I need to go to some bigger guns, here? If so, what? Will the Bio-Neem actually repel the bugs, or do I still have to catch them in the act to have a chance? I don't have any experience using pesticides, so I appreciate whatever advice I can get.

Here is a pic of the insect and the damage. Can anyone id this? This astilbe is near a birch tree, and I've read that there is a special kind of aphid found on birches, but this bug does not seem to match that description...and the birch tree looks fine. None of the other astilbe in other areas of my yard are affected by this.

That's the nymph of a leaf hopper. They suck the juice from the leaves, leaving discolored speckles, much like the damage caused by spider mites.They also spread disease. I have an abundance of them this year, and will be applying imidacloprid at the base of the plants. It is systemic and as they suck, they will ingest the insecticide. I hate to do it, but they are destroying my plants. This way, the beneficial insects won't be destroyed, since they don't feed on plant sap.

ceejay, does that systemic stuff work pretty fast?

Not instantaneous, like it would if you sprayed, but I am trying to protect the beneficial insects. It varies with the size of the plant - trees can take awhile for it to uptake, smaller plants are fairly quick.

I wonder if I should keep spraying with the Neem and still apply the systemic stuff. Does the systemic hurt any types of plant or tree roots? I killed that one bug I found and haven't seen any more on there yet, but I know it's a matter of time because it happens every year. I am determined not to let them destroy those buds this year.

I wouldn't apply it until you see more - lots more. No, it doesn't hurt tree roots. You might look at the label (or call them) to make sure it is safe on the plants you want to use it on. There may be a few that can be damaged, but I really don't know. Haven't heard of any, but that doesn't mean there aren't any...
The only time you need to be proactive and start treatment before the fact is in trees that always suffer. It takes a while for it to work for them because of their size, and you want it in place when the insects arrive.
And I'd quit spraying with Neem too, if you aren't seeing more.

Ok, I started seeing more starting today. They are hard to spot on the buds because they are the same shade of lime green. I bought some Bayer stuff with imidacloprid, which says it's for roses and other flowers...not the kind you spray, but apply to the soil. I hope I made the right choice there. I will be applying that to the base tomorrow, as evidently the Neem isn't working to repel them as it's supposed to.

I'm doing the same.

But - noticed you said on the buds. Check to make sure those aren't aphids. Aphids love buds.

I've always thought it was aphids, but in that other recent thread, someone identified the little lime bug that looks the same as mine as a leafhopper. I especially thought it was aphids due to the proximity of the birch tree to this particular astilbe. But I googled Birch aphids and those don't seem to look like my bugs (and the I see no damge on the birch itself) and I'm not sure it matters, as treatment seems to be the same for both? I do have damage to both the leaves and the buds every year, but it's primarily the buds I'm concerned with. They never destroy so many leaves that it affects the look of the plant the way the buds dying does.

I ID'd the leafhopper, but is this "bug" on your buds the same "bug"?
Aphids have two little "stovepipes" sticking up near their rear end. Leafhoppers don't. And aphids don't jump.

Hm, I'll have to snap a pic next time I see one. The ones I saw today were lime green and not the same as that other beige one I posted. Looks similar to that one in the other thread. I will say that they are easy to kill by hand...they don't scurry or jump off as I pinch them off. I'm going to look thru my old pics from past years and see if I can find other pics, because I know I've taken them. Would you not use the same insecticide for aphids? Also, there are usually only one, or a handful at a time...the plant is never swarming with them or anything.

If I had aphids on buds, I would simply spray them with a spray bottle of soapy water or insecticidal soap. There are those that would simply spray them off with water, but I haven't found that to be very effective in the long run.
Aphids are stationary, and have very soft little bodies that are easily dessicated by soapy water... I use an recycled Windex bottle.

Yes, but you still have the issue where you have to be there and catch them in the act....soap only works by direct contact, and I can't stake out the plants 24/7 for the next four weeks.

They're not going anywhere. You spray. Wait a week. Spray again. Watch. Not at all hard to do.
Leafhoppers - I agree with you. Imidacloprid needed.
But it's up to you....

I'm not sure what you mean by not going anywhere? When I see the bugs, I either spray with insecticidal soap, or pinch them off by hand. But that does nothing to stop the ones that show up the next day, or the next hour. My understanding is that soap isn't preventative, and only works by directly spraying the bugs. So when I'm not there to spray or pinch, they're sucking on and destroying the buds.

Leaf hoppers hop all over the place, so you can't control them with soap.
Aphids stay in one place, so you CAN control them with soap. Yes, it requires direct contact, but they're just laying around sucking the juices from your plant. Not very hard to hit a stationery target.
Because they reproduce so rapidly (without even mating), you are always going to miss a few, so it is necessary to repeat the soapy spray.
Please, I am not trying to upset you, it is just that soapy water is sooo effective on aphids. If you choose to use imidacloprid, go for it!

You're not upsetting me, it's just that I'm confused how I'm supposed to use the soap to effectively control them and keep the buds from being sucked dry. I don't know how long an aphid has to be on a bud to destroy it. If it can happen overnight, or in the space of a few hours while I'm at work, it doesn't seem like a viable option? I try the soapy spray every year, and I never seem to catch enough of them before I have significant damage and loss of blooms.

It takes a lot of aphids on a bud to destroy it, but with their rate of reproduction, that doesn't take too long. But it does take several days...

If you haven't found soap satisfactory in the past, apply the imidacloprid - now.

Ceejay, I got a pic today of my lime bug(s). From your description, it sounds like this is not an Aphid? It's small, a bit under a quarter of an inch, I'd say. I find these on both the leaves, and the buds.

Can I also ask a question about the Imidacloprid...the instructions give mixing ratios for pouring over a garden bed (including foliage), or pouring at the base of roses. I was just planning of moving the foliage aside and drenching the roots....should I use the same strength formula as if I was treating a rose bush, or should I go with the diluted one? I've never used anything stronger than Neem or soap, so I don't want to overdo it.

Personally, I'd spray w/ insecticidal soap for the ones you can see now, AND treat w/ a systemic for the re-occurrance,since it seems to be an annual tradition! There are a few plants I put systemic on every spring, just because they always get eaten (bud worms- ugh!)

That's kind of what I'm doing, avianut. applied the systemic stuff a few days ago...I went with half the strength they were suggesting for roses. Then I sprayed all the buds with Neem again. I was feeling pretty positive about it, but today I saw what I think must be an adult leaf hopper on there, eating the buds. I hope it's just that the systemic stuff hasn't kicked in yet. Or maybe I diluted it too much, I don't know. A few buds are already lost, but hopefully I can save the rest. So it seems it's still a babysitting job. I will definitely start early next year with the systemic.

The image you posted on the 27th is a nymph of a plant bug, likely in the family Miridae. These also are sap feeders, and some (such as the tarnished plant bug) can be quite destructive. I suggest that you contact your county office of Maine's Cooperative Extension service (see http://tinyurl.com/22kfkcy) for advice.

Hey Noreaster, from experience I can tell you that you should pay attention to suunto. He REALLY knows what he is talking about...
BTY, from your comments elsewhere I went out and bought 2 Thunderbolt hostas yesterday :-)

Thanks, suunto and avianut. I'm embarrassed to admit that I have no idea what a cooperative extension office is or does. You're saying I call them up and tell them what bug I have and they tell me how to treat it? I haven't seen anymore bugs at all lately, so so far the buds are still in pretty good shape, and I'd sure like to keep it that way. I seem to be the only person on the planet that has a problem with bugs and astilbe! Everything on the internet indicates that's it almost pest free for most people.


avianut, I'm sure you will love Thunderbolt as I do. It's slow, but worth it.

Suunto, I googled that bug and I believe you are correct. The adult looks like what I find on the astilbe later in the season (and saw one the other day). I don't see a lot online about how to control it, except to control your weeds, which is actually impossible for me. My garden beds are pretty clean, but I consider our yard one big weed at this point, which I don't know how to deal with since I have dogs that frequently eat the grass and dirt, making me not comfortable using chemical weedkillers.