Caterpillars!!!

[Alicja Burnette]

Okay seriously my garden was looking lovely then about a week ago I noticed several of my flowers' leaves had been eaten clear off the stalk. The culprit appears to be caterpillars. Tons of them! They have destroyed my petunias, every last one of them, my African daisies are struggling, marigolds have no leaves left, and the saddest of all, my three beautiful dahlias have holes in all the leaves and half of the flowers have been eaten. I tried an off-the-shelf insecticide and it didn't do a thing as I went out this morning and found 6 of the little jerks munching on my dahlias with just a quick glance.

I am so so sad! How do I stop them?! Will my plants recover from this?!

 

[Chuck]

Okay seriously my garden was looking lovely then about a week ago I noticed several of my flowers' leaves had been eaten clear off the stalk. The culprit appears to be caterpillars. Tons of them! They have destroyed my petunias, every last one of them, my African daisies are struggling, marigolds have no leaves left, and the saddest of all, my three beautiful dahlias have holes in all the leaves and half of the flowers have been eaten. I tried an off-the-shelf insecticide and it didn't do a thing as I went out this morning and found 6 of the little jerks munching on my dahlias with just a quick glance.

I am so so sad! How do I stop them?! Will my plants recover from this?!

Caterpillars of all kinds are easily controlled organically with a product that has Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt) as its active ingredient. Any decent nursury will have it, probably under the name of Bt Worm Killer by Monterrey

 

[Tommyotommy]

Caterpillars of all kinds are easily controlled organically with a product that has Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt) as its active ingredient. Any decent nursury will have it, probably under the name of Bt Worm Killer by Monterrey

Oh yea, those caterpillars invade and strike fast. Spray beforehand is best of course but once you see the damage you still may be able to spray and save any further damage. Warmer weather will also help killing the caterpillars off. Or if you happen to see a few stink bugs, know they like to eat caterpillars too. I have one big black one hanging around and I'm hoping he stays busy. I had a dream last night I saw him munching on one haha

 

[Chuck]

Oh yea, those caterpillars invade and strike fast. Spray beforehand is best of course but once you see the damage you still may be able to spray and save any further damage. Warmer weather will also help killing the caterpillars off. Or if you happen to see a few stink bugs, know they like to eat caterpillars too. I have one big black one hanging around and I'm hoping he stays busy. I had a dream last night I saw him munching on one haha

Can you get a pic of the black stink bug?

 

[Tommyotommy]

Can you get a pic of the black stink bug?

I have a pic of him on my Facebook page if you can look there. He's a big black one. Not a sure how to post it here....but if anyone can tell how .... simple is best haha .
Check my name on Facebook
Tommy Nichols
Westwego, LA

 

[happyflowerlady]

I have something that is eating the leaves on some of my plants, but i have not seen any sign of caterpillars (or any other bugs) on the leaves. I have some that are right on the front porch where I can see them all of the time, so you would think that I can see the caterpillars if they are out there crawling around on those plants.
I have never heard of stink bugs eating caterpillars, and most of the ones that I have seen are not very large either.
Could the large black bug that you are talking about maybe be a June Bug; which is a type of beetle ?? I so could see a June bug munching happily on a caterpillar.

 

[Chuck]

I have something that is eating the leaves on some of my plants, but i have not seen any sign of caterpillars (or any other bugs) on the leaves. I have some that are right on the front porch where I can see them all of the time, so you would think that I can see the caterpillars if they are out there crawling around on those plants.
I have never heard of stink bugs eating caterpillars, and most of the ones that I have seen are not very large either.
Could the large black bug that you are talking about maybe be a June Bug; which is a type of beetle ?? I so could see a June bug munching happily on a caterpillar.

Stink bugs don't eat caterpillars. What I think and wanted to see a pic of looks kind of like a stink bug but has a strange looking head called a wheelbug. They aren't all that common and are extremely beneficial.

Caterpillars can be almost invisible and they can be large or tiny. Many are the same color as what they are eating on. If you are not sure what is eating your plants spray with an organic pesticide called spinosad. It kills all kinds of bugs including caterillars but it doesn't kill caterpillars near as fast as Bt.does. With Bt the worms stop feeding immediatly and die within 4 hours.

 

[Chuck]

I have a pic of him on my Facebook page if you can look there. He's a big black one. Not a sure how to post it here....but if anyone can tell how .... simple is best haha .
Check my name on Facebook
Tommy Nichols
Westwego, LA

You didn't come up Facebook. Just click on the upload a file button below and select the pic

 

[Tommyotommy]

You didn't come up Facebook. Just click on the upload a file button below and select the pic

I know everything you read on the web is not true, but I did see online that stink bugs diet consists mainly of caterpillars.... which is why some members on here don't want them in their garden threatening to eat their butterfly larvae/caterpillars. The one I have is definitely not a June bug (they're kinda red, round and fly a lot, huh). If the other bug you're talking about is shiny black, about the size of half your index finger long, then maybe that's what my bug is. The only stink bug I've ever seen before was Brown and this one is black. I'll see if I can upload a pic.

 

[Chuck]

I know everything you read on the web is not true, but I did see online that stink bugs diet consists mainly of caterpillars.... which is why some members on here don't want them in their garden threatening to eat their butterfly larvae/caterpillars. The one I have is definitely not a June bug (they're kinda red, round and fly a lot, huh). If the other bug you're talking about is shiny black, about the size of half your index finger long, then maybe that's what my bug is. The only stink bug I've ever seen before was Brown and this one is black. I'll see if I can upload a pic.

I know everything you read on the web is not true, but I did see online that stink bugs diet consists mainly of caterpillars.... which is why some members on here don't want them in their garden threatening to eat their butterfly larvae/caterpillars. The one I have is definitely not a June bug (they're kinda red, round and fly a lot, huh). If the other bug you're talking about is shiny black, about the size of half your index finger long, then maybe that's what my bug is. The only stink bug I've ever seen before was Brown and this one is black. I'll see if I can upload a pic.

That is a stink bug. I have some of the same as well as others. I have never seen them eat a caterpillar as I try to kill them as soon as possible as they will destroy crops. They don't eat the crops but they stick that long probiscus into the fruit and inject something that makes that area of the fruit rot from the inside out. Here are a couple of adults and a baby.

 

[Tommyotommy]

We

That is a stink bug. I have some of the same as well as others. I have never seen them eat a caterpillar as I try to kill them as soon as possible as they will destroy crops. They don't eat the crops but they stick that long probiscus into the fruit and inject something that makes that area of the fruit rot from the inside out. Here are a couple of adults and a baby.View attachment 2961 View attachment 2962 View attachment 2963

Well the baby is sure creepier than the adult. Haha. And thanks for showing me how to post pictures on here too!

 

[Trellum]

I have something that is eating the leaves on some of my plants, but i have not seen any sign of caterpillars (or any other bugs) on the leaves. I have some that are right on the front porch where I can see them all of the time, so you would think that I can see the caterpillars if they are out there crawling around on those plants.
I have never heard of stink bugs eating caterpillars, and most of the ones that I have seen are not very large either.
Could the large black bug that you are talking about maybe be a June Bug; which is a type of beetle ?? I so could see a June bug munching happily on a caterpillar.

By eating you mean you have noticed a few small holes here and there? If that's the case, then there is a big chance birds re doing that. I was terrified one morning when I found small holes all over my plants! It was the birds! It turns out some birds look for water that way!

 

[Alicja Burnette]

I have tried just about everything they make that says it kills caterpillars to no avail. Any homemade concoctions work? These fools are relentless. They REALLY love my dahlias. They seem to have backed off the petunias and marigolds.

 

[Chuck]

I have tried just about everything they make that says it kills caterpillars to no avail. Any homemade concoctions work? These fools are relentless. They REALLY love my dahlias. They seem to have backed off the petunias and marigolds.

I will guarantee you that Bt will kill them in a few hours. Mix 2 oz per gallon of water and 1 oz of honey or molasses preferably molasses. Spray in the morning or evening and by nightfall or morning there won't be a caterpillar anywhere. Any good nursury will have either the Monterey Bt or the Greenlight Bt Worm Killer. Any product with Bacillus Thuringiensis as its active ingredient will work. Guaranteed