What to do about caterpillars?

[Swampcabbage]

Last year I lost some nice colas to those guys. just wondering if anyone had advice how to keep them away? Thanks in advance! :evilgrin0040:

 

[Seamaiden]

I'm pretty religious about spraying for caterpillars. I use two products, Safer's Caterpillar Spray, which is also known as Bt spray (Bt = Bacillus thuringiensis), and Monterey Garden Spray (aka Spinosad), which is a subspecies, B. thuringiensis israelensis. Once buds begin to set I apply every two weeks, RELIGIOUSLY, until two weeks prior to harvest.

 

[SmokeyPipes]

I'm pretty religious about spraying for caterpillars. I use two products, Safer's Caterpillar Spray, which is also known as Bt spray (Bt = Bacillus thuringiensis), and Monterey Garden Spray (aka Spinosad), which is a subspecies, B. thuringiensis israelensis. Once buds begin to set I apply every two weeks, RELIGIOUSLY, until two weeks prior to harvest.

No ill effects in the final product from doing this seamaiden? I had put a few outside a couple months back and just chopped them down,Already was getting those damn caterpillars eating my buds.Need to be sure it don't happen to my ladies I just put out. Don't want that stuff tainting my herb if it needs to used that far into flowering in any way?

 

[motherlode]

my vote is for BT as well

no ill effects at all

 

[Seamaiden]

No ill effects at all, Smokey. Certainly nothing like the effect of when you're sitting there trimming this nice, fat, bud thinking, "Fuck man! I wanna keep this for myself!" and then it crumbles in your hands with caterpillar shit in the middle of it. Welp, that one gets tossed into the fireplace, too.

 

[Badmf]

There are insect netting sizes that would help as well. So I am doing both BT and netting.

 

[johnnypotseed]

last season my friend used a bug zapper in his garden, it helped quite a bit keeping them at bay.

 

[Ulysses]

Is there a specific butterfly that lays the caterpillar eggs on the top buds or do the tiny caterpillars crawl all the way to the top buds and munch or what???

Are the caterpillars from any type of butterfly or moth in general?

I have a butterfly bush- should I kill it???

 

[SmokeyPipes]

It's the gypsy moths that u need to worry about!!Those are the ones that lay there eggs on the plant!!

 

[Seamaiden]

We have BUTTLOADS of those up here, but IIRC there's another moth that's responsible, too.

 

[SIDEWAYS]

They are probably not gypsy moths- gypsy moths have caterpillars that are brown in color and furry. They are most likely cabbage loopers, bright green -dark spot on head, look like they could almost bite ya with the chompers. Layed by the same looking pale yellow or white 1" moths though. Spinosad and safer cater killer combo works wonders. Netting would probably be awesome, but not practical for multiple / large plants.

 

[Seamaiden]

I am bumping an old-ass thread. Why? I need to source BULK insect netting, and I need it to be something that shades the least. I've found some stuff here: that only shades to about 12%, every other bug netting I've found does more like 20%-30%.

So, why do I need to source bulk netting? Well, y'all remember that Bt corn that was supposed to be so great? It's caused Bt resistance in the bugs it was meant to kill. THAT means we will soon be seeing the Bt we organic growers becoming less and less effective. Also, I'm pretty fucking sick and tired of the floaty weed seeds that get in my buds.

Some other links so you can see what I'm looking at: (this one's pretty expensive at $6/linear foot) http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplie...1&langId=-1&division=FarmTek&productId=120763

 

[delae632]

There's a guy that that makes YouTube grow videos that uses this stuff. Looks like it shades less than the others but it's quite expensive ( I didn't do the math so I don't know if it's comparable to what you're looking at) and it's from Canada, so shipping could be a bitch...:confused: Worth a look anyways.:)

@Seamaiden

 

[Seamaiden]

Ha! I should have stayed online instead of going down below to take pix of root balls, @delae632

I finally found that website, and you know what? TOTALLY competitive pricing, PLUS free shipping in Canada and the contiguous US (but not to Alaska, which boggles my brains) on all orders over $200CAD. I need yards and yards, I basically want to enclose as though inside a GH with this stuff, so what I'm pricing out for the best quality product is under $1K, which to me is pretty damn good.

How'd you find this so much quicker than me, anyway? You know I've been searching since last week? I've even been hitting up sales reps and the like, and all they've been pointing me to are row covers and poly.

 

[delae632]

Ha! I should have stayed online instead of going down below to take pix of root balls, @delae632

I finally found that website, and you know what? TOTALLY competitive pricing, PLUS free shipping in Canada and the contiguous US (but not to Alaska, which boggles my brains) on all orders over $200CAD. I need yards and yards, I basically want to enclose as though inside a GH with this stuff, so what I'm pricing out for the best quality product is under $1K, which to me is pretty damn good.

How'd you find this so much quicker than me, anyway? You know I've been searching since last week? I've even been hitting up sales reps and the like, and all they've been pointing me to are row covers and poly.

That's great news! I used to watch this guys youtube vids a couple/few years ago. He just has a big framed out structure in his backyard and it's wrapped in this screen (exclusively for the moth/caterpillar epidemic). He grows 10'+ sativas in this bitch....it's impressive. I would definitely say he's not losing much light. I believe his YT name is Mr Couchlock, if my memory serves me right. Nothing spectacular about his vids but the structure and screen stuck with me, so I bookmarked the screen source a couple years ago.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with. Best of luck Sea!

 

[masonjar420]

I also would like to see the end result of your project if you don't mind sharing. Had stalk borers last year, Killed branches at a time. Thanx

 

[Seamaiden]

I also would like to see the end result of your project if you don't mind sharing. Had stalk borers last year, Killed branches at a time. Thanx

IF I don't forget! I've never had stalk borers, that would make me cry like a little girl.

 

[SpiderK]

Simple trick ....

Take vaseline and wipe some around the base about 5 inches off the ground, a 1/2 wide. Nothing can crawl over that ... and it holds up for weeks before needing touchup even after a couple rains. Works really good in gorilla locations w/pest in bogs ect ....

 

[geologic]

IF I don't forget! I've never had stalk borers, that would make me cry like a little girl.

I've never had borers either; 'cept in roses--
that would make me cry like a little boy...

 

[geologic]

Simple trick ....

Take vaseline and wipe some around the base about 5 inches off the ground, a 1/2 wide. Nothing can crawl over that ... and it holds up for weeks before needing touchup even after a couple rains. Works really good in gorilla locations w/pest in bogs ect ....

I think borers are beetle larvae--
and beetles have wings...