So my Habanero peppers started to turn red about a week ago. I am now finding big holes at the very top of the peppers where they are attached to the stem. One hole per pepper, and always at the top. The green ones are untouched. Also, the leaves are also untouched. If you need pics of the damage, let me know.
I did a google search and found this.. when growing Habaneros/Scotch Bonet indoor, what bugs to watch for? - Growing Hot Peppers - The Hot Pepper Apparently the bigest pest to look out for are 'aphids' But in all honesty the damage u described sounds like some kind of worm or grub.. Are you growing these peppers outdoors or hydroponically?
I was wondering if slugs can do this. They come out at night on my patio. My peppers are on my patio.
That's where the problem is man, move your plants inside during night if you can.. Also found some more info heres some quotes You should cut one open man and see if the insides are rotted or not.. It might give us some more info to work on, and pictures may also do some justice here
Yea I just took all the bad ones off the plant and none of them had anything inside. Upon closer examination I found some black poop on some leaves. I can't take the plants inside every night. They are pretty tall and I had to tie them down to the wooden fence around my patio. I did spray the plant with some water/dish washer soap/hot sauce mixture. This mixture has stopped the slugs from eating my Calea plants before, so hopefully it will do the same for my peppers.
Open one up and you'll find a worm inside. The fly or moth is layin it's egg before the fruit comes on and the little worm eats it's way out. You get the same thing with cucumbers too.
I did open the damaged ones that I snatched off the plant. They are just dry inside and some of the seeds turned black, but no worms or bugs of any kind.
I garden hot peppers myself! Interesting tidbit, rodents/mammals will not eat hot peppers because of the capsaicin which is the natural defense for the plant against them. Birds and pests do though. Birds are the main source for natural pepper production (when they eat the seeds they fly away and poop them out somewhere else)
It will be a bug of some kind burrowing inside and laying eggs.. The black inside is decay caused from that.. If it was birds I dont think they would tunnel in the bottom.. More like the sides or top..
Thats actually why am thinking birds vs. pest because as he said it is near the top by the stem and no where else.
I dont know about peppers, but the ants have been eating all my fruits and veggies this year because it's been so damn dry outside
He actually said its only on the bottoms Edit : nvm seems he edited the first post.. Then yes very well it could be birds if the holes are on top
But what about the black tar looking poop on the leaves? I think that's poop of the slugs. Or do hummingbirds have tiny black poop like that?
Google Image Result for http://www.hiltonpond.org/images/HummingbirdFeces04.jpg there is a picture of hummingbird feces. i think we have found the answer to your question!
No dude it is not birds.. Hot peppers have a natural detterant for birds.. If you dont believe me I can google it for you.. It will be some type of insect maybe a slug or worm, However I do not think that slugs eat peppers.. I could be wrong but I am pretty sure slugs dont eat with a mouth... I also believe slugs consume only foilage and not the actual fruit.. i.e stems, leaves, etc.
I will have to pay close attention to my peppers in the next few days. Hopefully catch the guilty red handed.
If you could that'd be great i am graduating with a double major in agriculture and plant biology this year. And have always been taught by professors with PHD's that birds are the only animals on earth which eat hot peppers. This information will be ground breaking. Edit: I just googled it because i was bored and cannot find a single site to back up your claim, if you can send the link of the source of this information it would be much appreciated. (i am not trying to be condescending i am just very interested as this is one of my passions.)