Over the summer period I do not spray for insects because midsummer temperatures and insecticides can kill bonsai. This year I have taken particular attention to what happens over this period and I have found something chewing on my leaves, particularly overnight.
Today I found the culprit. A micro caterpillar approximately 3mm long. A tiny eating machine that just kept eating and eating while I took photos and videos.
This tiny critter strips the green of the leaves leaving a skeletal leaf shell. It is particularly fond of all types of Ficus. They also seem to have an ability to target an important branch that I really want protected.
It’s a bit of a relief to know exactly what is causing this damage because at first some of the spots looked like they could have been a disease.
Because the high temperature here this time of year is constantly around 350C or higher I can’t spray without risking significant damage to my bonsai. So I’ve decided not to treat. My bonsai are in great condition right now so they are in a good position to just ride it out.
Hope you like the video and images.
Cheers
Matt
Matt's Bonsai Blog 
One thought on “The Grub”