Ken Anderson wrote:

> I'm having trouble re-finding info on the insect that lops off grape vine
> shoots. The one where he chews a ring around around it, then goes up the
> shoot a few more inches and cuts the whole damned thing off. And why does
> this critter do this? In any event, it's frustrating to see my 2nd year
> grafted viniferas receiving this setback.
> Ken
>
>
Ken,

Research the "Grape Cane Girdler" . You've described its modus operandi
to a tee. They cut two rings, a couple of inches apart, and lay eggs
inside the piece between, which eventually breaks off & falls to the
soil. They are said not to do any significant damage, as the cane
readily recovers, but I have seen where they cut off a cluster or two. I
don't spray for them, but I do break off the egg-carrying pieces and
remove them from the vineyard. Note that I have only 50 vines, not 50 acres!

--


Mike MTM, Cokesbury, New Jersey, USA

"MikeMTM" > wrote in message
s.com...
> Ken Anderson wrote:
>
> > I'm having trouble re-finding info on the insect that lops off grape vine
> > shoots. The one where he chews a ring around around it, then goes up the
> > shoot a few more inches and cuts the whole damned thing off. And why does
> > this critter do this? In any event, it's frustrating to see my 2nd year
> > grafted viniferas receiving this setback.
> > Ken
> >
> >
> Ken,
>
> Research the "Grape Cane Girdler" . You've described its modus operandi
> to a tee. They cut two rings, a couple of inches apart, and lay eggs
> inside the piece between, which eventually breaks off & falls to the
> soil. They are said not to do any significant damage, as the cane
> readily recovers, but I have seen where they cut off a cluster or two. I
> don't spray for them, but I do break off the egg-carrying pieces and
> remove them from the vineyard. Note that I have only 50 vines, not 50 acres!
>
>
Excellent. Thanks. First hit was the Cornell site with info that was right
on the money. I went back out to the vines (I have 50 exactly, also) and even
found two of the insects breeding. Little buggers, they are. I brought in
the broken off stems and, using my loupe, could also see the little pockets
where the eggs are laid, though I couldn't distinguish them. I also found
this guy on the underside of a leaf:
http://users.adelphia.net/~aken75/
What's up with that!
Ken

Ken Anderson wrote:

I also found
> this guy on the underside of a leaf:
> http://users.adelphia.net/~aken75/
> What's up with that!
> Ken
>
>
Ken,

That resembles a tomato hornworm, the kind that chomps on your tomato
plants & turns into a Sphinx Moth. A little different in appearance,
though, but probably similar in habit & control. When I see leaf damage
or frasse, I look for the culprit & remove him. BT spray is a good long
term solution for these kinds of worms.

--


Mike MTM, Cokesbury, New Jersey, USA