Pests and Diseases - Symptom Selector

Caterpillars

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Caterpillars

Symptoms

Leaves are stripped.

Cause

Caterpillars, the larval stage of moths and butterflies.

Harm

Young leaves can be eaten away and more mature plants are left unsightly. The main problems caterpillars in the ornamental garden are all moths and include Angle shades, Brown tail, Buff tip, Carnation tortrix, Hawthorn webber, Lackey, Leopard, Goat, Silver Y, Small ermine, Vapourer and winter moths.

Treatment

Organic - leave them for the birds or pick off caterpillars by hand as soon as you see them.
Chemical - Use a suitable contact insecticide if you see them.
Biological - control with the naturally occurring bacterium Bacillus thuriengiensis. Once the caterpillar has eaten the bacteria, which is applied as a spray on to leaves, it stops feeding within hours and will die a few days later.

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