It could be earwigs! Different gardening zones and different countries have different concerns. What's a beneficial bug for me may be a menace to you and where you live! As I mentioned earlier, earwigs aren't a garden pest where I live, perhaps because our climate is different. I did some digging....in northern Utah, earwigs are considered both a pest and a beneficial.
Earwigs are common garden pests in northern Utah. They chew into buds, leaves, flowers and fruits of many plants, including tree and cane fruits, vegetables and ornamentals. Their typical damage is small, ragged holes chewed in plant tissue. Earwigs will chew off corn silks and hide inside ripe apricots and peaches next to the pit. However, they are omnivorous and will also eat decaying debris and pollen and are opportunistic predators of other insects. Earwigs are active at night and seek protection during the daytime. If you see chewing injury on plants but don’t see active insects, return at night with a flashlight to look for them. Their eating habits and behaviors make them both a pest and a beneficial insect. The best management is a balance of protecting plants from injury while reaping the benefits from the biological control and organic matter decomposition they provide. Their prey includes aphids, caterpillars and other small garden insect pests.
Everything I'm reading doesn't mention that earwigs defoliate an entire plant, though! And the presence of poo that you mention means it could be any number of different pests (in my garden, I'm battling something different. I am currently fighting off Japanese beetles, which leave little black poo on leaves and flowers as they chew). I'm wondering if you have slugs? They will eat everything, love a damp environment, leaving the stems standing and they also poop.....instead of black dots, it's a long poop trail, that dries up but generally looks like this:
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I have a couple of things for you with regard to earwigs:
This article is from USA Today, discusses earwigs, how to tell if it's an earwig problem. Since they are active at night, you'll need to check when it's dark. I would suggest a Neem oil spray - whether it is or isn't earwigs, it will help take care of whatever is eating your plant! If you want to post a picture of the damage, that might help me better identify the issue.
USA TODAY delivers current national and local news, sports, entertainment, finance, technology, and more through award-winning journalism, photos, and videos.
www.usatoday.com
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Fortunately, the scapes are DEE-licious! I made some garlic scape pesto which you can serve over pasta (which I did, tonight) or it can be used as a sauce on meat, or on bread as a lovely bruschetta. I am going to pickle some of them to serve in my absolutely favorite breakfast item: namely, a Bloody Mary. They can also be served as a delicious vegetable side dish. Another lost opportunity for poor MariE, bless her heart!
