What’s eating my bougainvillea?

[Hbhaska]

Hi,

Just want to post some pictures that I took of my bougainvilleas. Something is eating the leaves and reducing vigor. There are dark ball aggregates that I can only assume as ‘you know what’ of the insect. What is the insect? And what can I do about it? Thank you!

 

[leatherback]

Looks very much like snail poo to me.

 

[Firstflush]

It is a caterpillar. BT or spinosad will work. BT being a bit more friendly to beneficial insects.
There is a specific boug looper btw. They are small and can take out all the foliage on a branches if there is enough of them. This looper comes around now in late summer in southern CA.

Lastly, the frass is of pretty good size. You may just have a few big caterpillars, in this case just pick them off.

 

[John P.]

Yep, loopers for sure. Been there.