Bug Eating My Rose of Sharon

How do you repair the branch after the bug has made a home in it. The branch is still alive but it is falling, I've tied it up. Will it self mend or is there a glue out there.

I have a strange looking bug, spider, whatever on my Rose of Sharon tree. can anyone identify it. The pic looks like the coloring is black and gold but where you see dark it is a purple color. Sorry for the fuzziness the bug is really tiny and my camera not that good.
how can I rid myself of this strange creature.

Did you ever discover what the bug was and how to control. I think I have the same thing. They lay eggs in the flower and as the flower acts as a coccon-- they turn the flower into an ugly black tube. Help

Hi Rachel,

There aren't many bugs that like the rose of sharon other than the Japanese beetle and the scentless plant bug. Take a look here and click on 'Niesthrea louisianica' in the first paragraph for a picture.
http://ipm.ncsu.edu/current_ipm/03PestNews/03News22/ornament.html

If this is your pest, you really needent do anything as they aren't considered that much of a pest and they will be food for some other predator. You could always pick them off and drop them into a bucket of soapy water.

With no disrespect to the guest poster that recommended Immunox, I wouldn't use anything like that. You can click on the chemicals in it at the bottom of this page for what is in it. You can also use this site to search the other products listed at the other site I referred you to.
http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.go ... ld/brands?tbl=brands&id=19020022

Take a look here for environmentally and human friendly products you can use.
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_org_research.php?id=5

Newt

Hi, Sounds like you have aphids on your Rose of Sharon, a good product to use is Immunox. Read the label and follow as directed. I have lots of Rose of Sharons and the have a tendency to get aphids alot.

try making a spray from dishwashing liquid and water, and spray on there, if that doesn't help, try vegetable oil ( canola oil etc) and cayenne pepper.