One of our largest Ocotillos was taken by flat head borers 🙁 . This guy was right outside the dining room window and has been used as a resting spot for many birds much to the delight of our cats. I’m especially sad to see it go as it’s been the source of some of my best bird and sunrise shots.
It had been under stress ever since it had to be moved when the house was built. Then last year a micro burst blew it over and since then, it hasn’t looked good. If I had looked closer, I would have seen little holes up and down the stalks. I started snapping off the obvious dead stalks and this is what I found. Ewwww!
Lesson? If some of your Ocotillo stalks haven’t leafed out while neighboring stalks have, start looking for small round holes. If you see these holes, you likely have an infestation of Ocotillo borers.
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Eww. Gross. Really cool mind you, but gross. I still shudder when I remember watching “Them” as an 8 year old. Your macro work is all too realistic.
I’m a little bit curious. Do the borers change into something interesting?
Thanks Jim. The heads on these made me cringe! It sure seems that many monsters are based on insects or their larvae! Yes…they turn into a good sized beetle which lays eggs in the bark and the whole cycle starts again. I must have seen it but not known what it was.