How to save plants from Caterpillars?

Discussion in 'Wildlife in the Garden' started by Anna Embry, Aug 30, 2022.

  1. Anna Embry

    Anna Embry New Seed

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2022
    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    15
    Location:
    New York, USA
    Have an excessive amount of Caterpillars in my garden. How do get rid of them?
     
  2. Loading...


  3. Logan

    Logan Strong Ash

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2018
    Messages:
    5,045
    Likes Received:
    7,357
    Location:
    Redditch Worcestershire UK
    You can pick them off the plants after you got them all net the plants but make sure that it's fully secure so that birds can't get underneath and be trapped.
     
    Pacnorwest likes this.
  4. Melody Mc.

    Melody Mc. Young Pine

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2022
    Messages:
    2,125
    Likes Received:
    5,348
    Location:
    Brisith Columbia, Canada
    I pick them off sometimes. I do use a product called BTK though with good success. A neighbour used to run a commercial organic brocolli farm, and used BTK as it was certified organic. He told me about it. It is a natural bacteria that when the caterpillars injest it they stop eating and eventually die. It is used as an aerial spray here for some of the forests when there is an infestation. I spray every week, at the first sign of cabbage moths in my broc, cauli, kale and cabbage. I've also sprayed ornamentals when I see leaf munching. It also gets rid of bad bouts of tent caterpillars etc. If I keep it up I have minimal damage. It's pretty harmless otherwise and doesn't bother other bugs or bees etc. It's not regulated as a pesticide here, and Canada is pretty tight about those things. I like that organic vegi producers can use it - so I feel pretty okay about it. A little goes a long ways, and I keep it in the fridge to keep it fresh.
     
  5. Odif

    Odif Young Pine

    Joined:
    May 2, 2017
    Messages:
    1,821
    Likes Received:
    3,020
    Location:
    pyrenees orientales
    I guess btk is bacillus thuringensis. I squish the eggs before they hatch and check my brassicas every day or 2 when the cabbage butterflies are about.
     



    Advertisement
  6. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2011
    Messages:
    9,332
    Likes Received:
    4,855
    another name for Bt is Di-Pel. comes as a powder for most people and a concentrate that can be diluted for a spray if you can fine that. both work well.
     
    Pacnorwest and Melody Mc. like this.
  7. Anna Embry

    Anna Embry New Seed

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2022
    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    15
    Location:
    New York, USA
    Thanks, Everyone....
     
    Melody Mc. likes this.

Share This Page