Extension > Garden > Diagnose a problem > What's wrong with my plant? > Annuals and Perennials > Hosta >Holes in leaves or leaves chewed off
Hosta > Holes in leaves or leaves chewed off
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Slugs
- Occurs spring and summer
- Chews ragged, irregular shaped holes in leaves that cross the veins
- Soft-bodied, brownish, up to two or more inches long. Snails without shells
- More information on Slugs
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Deer, rabbit and other animal damage
- All or large sections of leaves are cut off and missing, leaving only a stem or petiole (leaf stalk)
- Animal foot prints or droppings near plant
- Often happens suddenly, overnight
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Hail
- Ragged holes in foliage
- Appears suddenly, after severe weather
- Affects very local area only, sometimes individual plants show damage
- Plants outgrow damage, leaves produced after hail event are undamaged
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Variegated Cutworms
- Occurs in spring
- Chews long oval holes between the veins
- Brownish to black body with four to five yellowish diamond shaped spots on the top of the body; dark colored ‘W' on top of its body near the posterior; up to two inches long
- More information on Variegated Cutworms
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Earwig
- Occurs during early to mid summer
- Chews irregular holes in leaves
- Reddish brown, with short wings and forceps like pincers at the tip of abdomen, 5/8 inch long
- More information on Earwigs
