New guy here whats eating my mint??

[gdgross]

Literally just planted this mint a couple weeks ago… any ideas what’s chomping it, - and what to do about it?

I’m in Southern California, zone 10/11, bout 10 miles from the coast, so not too too terribly hot here in the summers.

 

[oneeye]

Take a magnifying glass and get a close look at the underside of the leaves.

 

[Chuck]

Easy fix. Caterpillar feces is visible so spray with Bt (Bacillus thuringensis). It is organic, harmless to people and pets. It comes under many brand names such as Bio Worm Killer. Any nursry will carry it. The caterpillar is probably a looper, a small green caterpillar.

 

[gdgross]

Take a magnifying glass and get a close look at the underside of the leaves.

Thanks, didn’t see much under the leaves at least without a magnifier…will check back once I find one lol.

 

[gdgross]

Easy fix. Caterpillar feces is visible so spray with Bt (Bacillus thuringensis). It is organic, harmless to people and pets. It comes under many brand names such as Bio Worm Killer. Any nursry will carry it. The caterpillar is probably a looper, a small green caterpillar.

Gotcha, I’ll hit up the nursery and get some!

 

[MiTmite9]

Do you really care that you're sharing some of your mint with caterpillars? Mint moths are very pretty moths. If this was happening in my garden (100% pesticide-free now for over 50 years), I'd let it go and then be sure to look for the moths flying in my garden.

"Mint moth caterpillars feed on a range of small herbaceous plants in the mint family. Their presence can be tolerated by gardeners and the adult moths, with their reddish-purple wings delicately marked with gold, are a common sight in the herb garden."

 

[jjenning04]

I didn't know there was such a thing as a mint moth. What do they look like?

 

[MiTmite9]

I didn't know there was such a thing as a mint moth. What do they look like?

Mint Moth

There are a few related species similar to this dainty little moth, although it is distinguished from these by its generally darker and more unicolorous forewing with the single conspicuous golden yellow spot. There are two generations, occurring from mid-April to June and again from July to...

butterfly-conservation.org

 

[MiTmite9]

Mint Moth

There are a few related species similar to this dainty little moth, although it is distinguished from these by its generally darker and more unicolorous forewing with the single conspicuous golden yellow spot. There are two generations, occurring from mid-April to June and again from July to...

butterfly-conservation.org

This is US version: https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_t...e Mint Moth,to Texas, Oklahoma and California.

 

[oneeye]

When you do not see anything small with a magnifier you can always expect a large insect like a caterpillar. So keep your eye open and when you see it just pick it off and get rid of it.

 

[MiTmite9]

When you do not see anything small with a magnifier you can always expect a large insect like a caterpillar. So keep your eye open and when you see it just pick it off and get rid of it.

My neighbor down the street was "picking off" caterpillars from her parsley, and all happy to tell me about it. Until . . . I told her she was destroying Parsley/Black swallowtail butterflies.

 

[pepper]

Do you really care that you're sharing some of your mint with caterpillars? Mint moths are very pretty moths. If this was happening in my garden (100% pesticide-free now for over 50 years), I'd let it go and then be sure to look for the moths flying in my garden.

"Mint moth caterpillars feed on a range of small herbaceous plants in the mint family. Their presence can be tolerated by gardeners and the adult moths, with their reddish-purple wings delicately marked with gold, are a common sight in the herb garden."

To each their own I guess but personally I agree with you. I always plant more then I need and am happy to share with nature as long as it's not completely devouring all my plants. But I do understand not everyone sees it that way. I figure by planting extra it makes up a bit for what others kill. Also I get the enjoyment of watching nature be nature. Fruit and veggies I can always buy year round in a grocery store if need be.

 

[gdgross]

My neighbor down the street was "picking off" caterpillars from her parsley, and all happy to tell me about it. Until . . . I told her she was destroying Parsley/Black swallowtail butterflies.

I guess I don't mind too much, as long as the mint takes and grows! I was just concerned because I literally planted it just a couple of weeks ago and I want it to get established.

 

[MiTmite9]

Gardens will find their balance, with a little help. If there are too many caterpillars, then up your game with attracting more birds ------ and so on. Happy happy to hear you're like me and my family. We don't mind sharing with critters. Preventative measures can be taken, if the "sharing" gets too one-sided, but always implemented without use of pesticides and without killing things.

 

[MiTmite9]

I guess I don't mind too much, as long as the mint takes and grows! I was just concerned because I literally planted it just a couple of weeks ago and I want it to get established.

Hahaha. If you don't have that mint in containers, before you know it you will have more than enough mint for you, your relatives, your neighbors and the mint-munching critters.