For the past few nights something has been munching on the leaves of my plants. They’re outside during the day hardening off and then inside overnight. It’s obviously something that I’ve brought in from outside, but I’ve search every plant and no idea what’s eating the leaves. All 6 of 12 plants have munched leaves. Any ideas? At this rate they’ll be gone in a week.
by ImmuniseTheChickens
4 Comments
Do you have a UV light by chance? It’s likely a caterpillar
Once tobacco hornworms reach maturity they drop to the soil, tunnel into the ground, and begin pupation in the ground. They’re not the only culprits, but they have big appetites and do lots of damage. They’re also able to hide in plain sight because they are masterfully camouflaged despite their large size. Thuracide (a bacterial endotoxin caused by bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) sprayed onto the plants will offer protection from this type of damage and only targets caterpillars. Once they consume the toxin, they stop feeding, the spores begin producing more of the bacterium in their gut, then the gut perforates, leading to a fairly rapid demise.
Moist likely caterpillar. I would start treating with BT.
Can be inchworms.