Murphy

waggoner41

Is it possible this is the result of an animal or insect attack?
Where are you lopcated?

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Soil Type: Black Loam

Murphy

South Florida

waggoner41

I live in Costa Rica and see such damage caused by some of the birds here.

Not much you can do other than bagging the bananas. Netting doesn't help, they just peck the bananas through the netting.

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Soil Type: Black Loam

Murphy

Thank you for the response. I'm new to the forum and enjoy the topics.

waggoner41

There is someone around our place all the time so we don't have much problem identifying what goes with the plants.

If you have a camera with a motion sensor you can set it up to watch the bunch and possibly see what is going on.

You still can't eliminate insects as the problem.

Have fun.

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Soil Type: Black Loam

Murphy

I did spray with "Green Light Fruit Tree Spray" after I noticed it. Hope I used a good product?....I have had great bananas for 3 years and this is the first time I have noticed a problem with them while they are green. Issues with whiteflies in the past but I keep up with spraying them off with soap and water. Thank you for your reply. I will watch them every day and see if I can spot an insect or varmint. Sure love home grown bananas though.

cincinnana

I have issues with young woodpeckers.
It seems they like to practice on my plants.
They leave very small peck marks on the stem.

Sometimes if they peck deep enough the new leaf in the Pstem will have a row of holes on it when it emerges.

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waggoner41

Woodpeckers are always on the hunt for insects. The adults, and probably the young, will peck at just about anything and listen for an insect within.

Although the banana plants may not have insects with, they are probably checking. Holes in the leaves won't do any harm but they may be finding some type of edible within the Pstem.
The only way you can find out is to check if there might be any bore holes caused by insects entering. Some insects have a boring tool used to lay eggs inside a plant that are not detectable.

There is no guarantee you can make a certain determination what exactly the woodpeckers are doing.

I grew up in a rural setting and spent a lot of time watching the wildlife around us. I learned quite a bit.

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Soil Type: Black Loam

Nicolas Naranja

That looks like typical rodent damage to me

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Some people go bananas, I went plantains.

waggoner41

That is not out of the realm of possibility either. Rodents are prevalent in the south but generally easier to control with traps and a preferred bait.

Sudden loud noises can deter birds but may be a nuisance to neighbors and timing can be an issue. Bagging the bunch is still the best option I can think of for birds. If anyone has other ideas we should all hear them

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Soil Type: Black Loam

Murphy

I've been keeping an eye on them but haven't seen any predators or insects. I do have plenty of squirrels around but I'm not sure if they feed on green bananas.

waggoner41

We have plenty of squirrels here as well as banana plants but I have never seen the sqirrels pay any attention to the bananas.

The squirrels do go after some of the other firmer fruits we have but their habit is to gnaw through the stem and carry the fruit off to enjoy somewhere else, probably in their nest. I would expect them to do the same with bananas if they were interested.

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Soil Type: Black Loam