caterpillars

caterpillars

Asked on 31 May, 2008

i have an hawthorn bush and everyyear it get infested with multicoloured caterpillars, was going to dig it up but is there anything else i can do,if not what is a good bush to plant that does not get caterpillers

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Replies

Spritzhenry

31 May, 2008

It would be a good idea before being so drastic to find out what the caterpillars are - they might be rare butterflies when they grow up! They have to live and feed somewhere, after all. Alternatively, have you tried spraying it rather than removing it? I am sure that there's something on the market you could use at the first sign of infestation!

Bonkersbon

1 Jun, 2008

Agree absolutely Spritz plus birds love these for their young during breeding season.Could you post pic of caterpillars?Chance we may be able to identify - even moths perform useful pollenation service please dont spray.

Barrierisland

1 Jun, 2008

Do the caterpillars damage your plant? Do they eat leaves or blooms? Do they sting you or pets? If not, you may simply be hosting a useful insect. Caterpillars are, by definition, seasonal and schizophrenic - pretty soon they will be something else!

Wohlibuli

1 Jun, 2008

Don't know where in the US you are if the south or southwest this could be webworm or Catalpa worm, a variety of moth that do a lot of damage to trees, the only organic way to get rid of them is burning the huge webs at the limb branches, If this doesn't sound like what you have and doesn't seem to do a lot of damage, it would be good to just leave them, you may need whatever hatches to pollinate other plants.

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