Eco-Friendly Caterpillar Control
In some ecosystems, caterpillars can be beneficial insects — feeding birds, becoming beautiful pollinators, and breaking down organic matter. But for many gardeners, a caterpillar’s voracious appetite can cause significant damage! Luckily, if you’re struggling with these garden pests, there are plenty of options for natural caterpillar control methods that can reduce caterpillar damage in your garden without harming your plants. 10 Ways to Get Rid of Caterpillars in the Rabbit Garden — Naturally!
How to Identify Caterpillars on Your Plants
How do you know if the damage you’re seeing on your garden plants is a sign of a caterpillar infestation or something else? Here are some signs that caterpillars are eating your flower or vegetable garden.
Leaf damage. Caterpillars chew irregular holes in plant leaves that vary in size.
Eggs. Caterpillars often leave their eggs on susceptible plants. Look for small white, yellow, or green egg masses, especially on the undersides of leaves.
Flea. Flea, or caterpillar feces, looks like small black lumps. Caterpillars will leave a continuous trail of bile whenever they feed.
Time of year. Caterpillars are usually most active in late summer and early fall.
Common Types of Caterpillars in the Garden
Cabbage Loopers. These small, green insects make a looping motion as they move, and they are very destructive. They are one of the most common garden caterpillars in the United States. They especially like Brassica plants (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc.). Check out my full post on how to get rid of cabbage loopers for this specific pest.
Tomato hornworms. Also known as the five-spotted hawk moth, in their caterpillar form, these large caterpillars can completely devastate plants – especially tomato plants.
Eastern tent caterpillars. These black and orange/yellow caterpillars are found in the eastern United States and build “tents” on tree branches. While they do feed on leaves, they generally don’t cause as much damage as other caterpillars.
Diamondback moth. Diamondback moth caterpillars are small, light green caterpillars. In their adult moth form, they are light brown with a diamond marking. These pests are incredibly destructive to gardens.
Boxwood caterpillar. The boxwood caterpillar is lime green with distinctive black stripes.
White butterfly caterpillars. These small insect pests can cause a lot of damage. You may notice that they leave clusters of yellow eggs on the undersides of plant leaves. They especially love brassica crops.
10 Ways to Get Rid of Caterpillars in the Garden
So how do you get rid of these serious plant pests without harming your garden or spraying chemicals on your edible plants? Luckily, there are plenty of natural, effective methods for getting rid of them. When used properly, none of these methods will harm your plants or add chemicals to your food.
1. Remove Them by Hand
For smaller gardens, hand-picking caterpillars is often a great, natural way to get rid of hungry caterpillars during the growing season. If possible, move them to another area so they can grow into useful butterflies. If you need to take more drastic measures, you can put them in a bucket of soapy water.
2. Remove the Nests
Another great way to prevent caterpillars from getting to your beloved plants in the first place is to remove their nests (which often look like little tents) when you see them. The best time to do this is in early spring.
3. Neem Oil
When it comes to natural pesticides, neem oil is at the top of the list. It’s made from the seeds of the neem tree and is generally considered safe when used properly. It’s often sold as a neem oil spray. Check out my full post on how to use neem oil in the garden.
4. Bacillus thuringiensis
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a bacteria-based solution that is toxic to caterpillars but harmless to humans. It makes the destructive caterpillars feel full after eating, and they won’t eat anymore. Caterpillar This is my go-to for caterpillar problems, and it’s the most reliable.
5. Plant strong-smelling herbs
Sometimes the best way to naturally repel caterpillars is to plant companion plants! Herbs like lavender, sage, and mint, or ornamental plants like marigolds, can be beautiful additions to your garden that will keep caterpillars away. (If you choose mint, plant it in a container because it spreads quickly.)
6. Diatomaceous earth
Placing a physical barrier like diatomaceous earth or cardboard around the base of your plants will make it harder for caterpillars to get to them. Food-grade diatomaceous earth is a natural powder that can cut through the delicate exoskeletons of caterpillars. Be sure to apply when bees are not active, as the powder can harm them if it accidentally gets on flowers.
7. DIY sprays
There are several DIY sprays and solutions you can make as natural methods of cat deterrence. Erbils. Here are some options.
Garlic solution. Mix a few crushed garlic cloves, a thinly sliced onion, and a tablespoon of mild dishwashing detergent in a quart of water. Let it sit for 24 hours, then strain it into a spray bottle and spray it on your plants.
Vinegar spray. For an easy solution, mix two tablespoons of vinegar with a gallon of water and spray it on your plants.
Molasses spray. Molasses spray is another good deterrent. Mix one tablespoon of molasses with one teaspoon of dishwashing detergent in one quart of warm or hot water. Spray the mixture on your plant leaves.
8. Attract birds
If you don’t want to use this method, another good option is to attract natural predators. Chickadees, bluebirds, robins, yellow warblers, sparrows, and woodpeckers will all prey on caterpillars. Making your garden more hospitable to these birds may help keep the caterpillars away for you.
9. Water early in the morning
Caterpillars love moist leaves. Watering early in the morning gives the leaves enough time to evaporate water, preventing excess moisture from building up, which will keep them from becoming too humid and attracting crawling insects. Caterpillars are most active in the morning, so checking your plants early in the morning may give you the best chance of spotting them and removing them by hand.
10. Get chickens
If you’ve been looking for an excuse to get backyard chickens, this could be it! Chickens can be a great form of pest control. They like to eat caterpillars and other harmful insects. However, be careful about letting them into your garden, as they can destroy plants with their burrowing and scratching. (A good garden fence will keep them close enough to help keep them from harming your crops.)
0 Comments