CLOSED: i don't have a picture, but...

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Jan 05, 2007

you guys are so good, i'm hoping someone will know what i'm talking about.

picture an elongated grain of sand, maybe 3 or 4 times the size of the sand but streched out, coloring is white, very minimal movement on rose buds and hibiscus buds. they are scattered here and there and sometimes a heavy infestation will almost cover a bud. i don't know what the damage looks like because i haven't had these long and i've been spraying to kill them. it's not adult whitefly and it's not aphids, other than ruling those two out, i'm open to anything. i think it's a minute larvae of something, but what?

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claypa West Pottsgrove, PA(Zone 6b) Jan 05, 2007

Have you looked at Pink Hibiscus Mealybugs? Some of them aren't very pink. Just a shot in the dark

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Jan 05, 2007

good shot but too big. i've had the pleasure (not) of experiencing those in the keys a couple of years ago. picture a very fine point pen and draw a teeny little line not quite an 1/8 of an inch long. you would hardly know they were there but for there white coloring. maybe thrip larvae? when i google stuff like that, the damage is visible but the culprit too small to see.

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Jan 07, 2007

ok, got a picture today. maybe this can help.

Thumbnail by trackinsand
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sallyg Anne Arundel,, MD(Zone 7b) Jan 07, 2007

looks like the same thing thats eating up a begonia I brought in from the garden, all over the leaves.

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Jan 07, 2007

with kind help from an authority on pests, they are the shed skins of aphids. such a relief to know it's not something major. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat06field/images/5-25aphidmolt.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat06field/fc05-25-06aphid.htm&h=224&w=288&sz=15&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=PwDs32Jg-l1I4M:&tbnh=89&tbnw=115&prev=/images?q=aphids+shed+skins&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&sa=G

This message was edited Jan 7, 2007 10:56 AM

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sallyg Anne Arundel,, MD(Zone 7b) Jan 07, 2007

thanks for the link. I couldn't find the aphids, but they must have been hiding in there. that looks exactly like it.

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Jan 07, 2007

i guess i never thought of aphids because i usually get to them before they molt. i had aphids on these buds, but assumed they were unrelated. more and more, i've learned never to assume! lol

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ceejaytown The Woodlands, TX(Zone 9a) Jan 07, 2007

Hi trackin - Many times people will bring the "sheds' into Extension for ID, thinking they are the live insect. You are not alone.....
CJ

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Jan 08, 2007

well, there you are! i knew you would know what it was........sometimes stuff like this makes me feel a touch silly, but i guess most times i'm just too vigilant and hose 'em before they ever get to take their little coats off! lol

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ceejaytown The Woodlands, TX(Zone 9a) Jan 08, 2007

LOL!!! And just think, thrips are even tinier!! You've gotta see them move to know what they are! Good running into you....
CJ

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