I have a dahlia which I left in the ground over winter. Today I found all the top shoots had been chewed off. What is the most likely culprit?
Caterpillars!
There are some who will say it is earwigs but with the damage you describe I say caterpillars
If you look close you will see what came out the back end of the caterpillar this is the tell tale sign......droppings.
The culprits are generally moths, butterflies rarely touch dahlias!
Butterflies will land on single dahlias for the nectar but not to lay eggs!
I think of earwig damage as insect origami!
Earwigs eat the buds and as you may be aware within the bud every petal is already formed in minicule form. So one tiny bite from an earwig will damage dozens of petals.
The tell tale sign is; the outer petals (the first to open) are generally the only ones damaged (origami) unless the earwig has had a real feed!
The most ravenous pest on ours is still slugs they love em. leave slime trails all over them.
I try to make it thier last meal!
x sunloving
On closer inspection they have eaten most of the leaves as well! There are certainly signs of slugs and it may have happened over a long time as the plants were almost hidden under others. >:(
I looked at my dahlias over the weekend and the blackfly are having a feeding frenzy on them. Hate spraying, but there was sooo may, i had no alternative.
Kxx