Sick Plant What insects would do this damage

@macky the plants are getting worse..!   What ever it is is still attacking..   I sprayed bt again last night just before dark..  I'll wait a day or two and spray Neem again..  but it's heartbreaking..!   I spent half the winter growing a couple mom's and making clones for the outdoor garden..   and it all went great until I put em outside..!   

@guitarzan bugs are a bastard man and one of the hazards of growing out doors. If its getting worse, the culprot is still on the plant somewhere, or atleast living close by, the neem will help keep them away but sticky traps around the plant will catch them next time the come near the plant. You got any new pics? 

Something else to try, for the Whiteflies at least, is spinosad.  It will definitely take care of them. Monterey Garden insect spray contains it and is pretty widely available depending on Country.  

You could also set up slug traps using beer, these traps will catch more than slugs. I've caught snails, earwigs, and other night critters with yeast water mix. Get a container of some sort, I used plastic margarine/butter containers buried to ground level near the plant and half fill with beer, yeast mix and check in the morning. The yeast is what attracts them, but unknown to many is that slugs can be attracted from 200 yards so I wouldn't leave these traps out on a permanent basis unless you want your neighbors bugs to ☹️. This could catch or tell you what critters you are dealing with and zero in on a remedy 😎 We think it's slugs or snails. Good Luck

Posted by: @guitarzan

Do cattapillers stay on the plants 24/7  Or do they go down in the soil during the day and climb up to feed at night.?

Caterpillars don’t leave the plant until they are finished with them and they don’t burrow into the soil. Their only task is to eat as much as possible and then go dormant in a pupae stage to emerge as butterflies or moths. I’ve seen one other thing that can cause that damage and it’s not an insect. I’ve has some specific fungis infections that sometimes eat holes in the leaf and look like an insect attack. Small spots would form on the leaves and within 24 hours that spot would completely die and leave a hole. The plants I saw it on weren’t cannabis but the damage looked very similar. Bad thing is I don’t remember the outcome, how did I stop it 🤷🏻‍♂️. I think I used a product called “Plant Doctor Organocide” because I don’t keep any other fungicides around anymore. BTW, the organocide was a recommendation from Wolfman on Growcast some years ago. I don’t know if he still uses it or not.

This was just a passing thought and something to consider if all else fails. A few fungus infections can mimic insect damage. If you are convinced it’s insects damage you might consider a physical barrier like a dome cover made of screen or fine mesh. It will block some of the light but it will stop larger insects from munching your cannabis.

Some mosquito netting would definitely be a worthwhile investment.  Pretty easy to make a wire cage for the plants then cover in the netting to keep stuff out.  Good call there @monkeydo

@guitarzan Yes Caterpillar‘s do stay on plants but move around during dusk & dawn  and hide as the sun comes out. So all that damage was done overnight ? And you didn’t see anything on the traps and nothing under the leaf’s. Like shonuff posted it’s most likely a Japanese beetle.

@philmebowls after looking up Japanese beetles I'm starting to think that's what is causing it..   I'll set the traps this afternoon and I'm gonna get some sevin.japaneae beetle spray.. today 

@guitarzan the main problem with Japanese beetles is that they are very mobile.  You can kill and kill a d more could just come along to replace them.  I would seriously think about a physical barrier like mosquito net. 

Ah yes Japanese beetles, never had the pleasure but after seeing some pics of damage done you guys may be onto something. Physical barrier is a good idea.

Got this from Better Homes and Gardens...

DIY Japanese Beetle Insecticide

@macky the picks are all the same...  Shredded leaves...  I think now it's probably Japanese beetles as suggested by another guy in this forum..  I looked em up and it says the eat the leaves in between the veins..  leaving them looking like a skeleton..  and that's exactly what I'm seeing..  at first I thought cattapillers..  but now I'm leaning towards Japanese beetles..  I'm gonna spray azamax tonight just before dark..  and I have a week off work so I will be on a squishing rampage against the white flies and anything else I see..!   

@monkeydo I really don't think it's a virus.. I have this same problem every year.. (I've only been growing 5 yrs now).  Outdoor in the summer and indoor during the winter I run my home made hydroponic system.. it's outdoor every season early on I get this horrible leaf damage.. then the plants will recover and produce..   but obviously would be a lot better if they didn't have to go through this at all..and I'm still not a hundred percent sure what it's from..?  All I ever see is the colorful little leaf Hoppers...  And now new this year is what I believe to be white flies..?   I think..?  They are bright white..  they hang out in the underside of the leaves..  and if I tickle the underside of the leaves bthey run to the top and I'll squash em..

I think they are white flies.?  But they don't seem to like to fly much..   typically they run sideways from top to bottom and will jump to the ground once they know your after them..!    probably 1/8 inch long bright white to an off yellow color..  either way I doubt they could cause the shredded leaves..  pretty sure the just leave little Pierce marks. But not holes

@macky I'll take some more pictures over the weekend.. I just went out and did some weeding and I throughly inspected every plant ..top to bottom..  I found a few of the colorful little leaf Hopper bugs..   and I found some of what I believe is white flies?   I think.?   IDK these are a new one just this year..  the shredded leaves happens every year... The white flies ..or what I think are white flies hide under the leaves..  I'll tickle the underside with one hand and they run to the top so I can squash em with my other hand.. but they don't really fly..?   Once they realize I'm after them they will jump down to a lower branch or the ground.?   Does that sound like white flies.??   I'll take a picture of one 

@macky I just inspect all my plants top to bottom and put some sticky traps out..I also stripped off a lot of the chewed up leaves.. not every leaf with holes in it..  but all the leaves that were shredded to a skeleton.  I read that Japanese beetles will eat between the veins and skellatizee the leaves.. seen some pictures that look exactly like what I'm getting.. but I have not seen a single Japanese beetle on any of the plants