Caterpillar Management Guide

 

Caterpillars are the larvae of moths and butterflies. There are different species of caterpillars that vary in size and color. They each have their preferred host plant. Moths and butterflies will lay eggs on the plants, giving the larvae access to a food source when the eggs hatch. These pests will eat a variety of plants including fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. Their feeding can cause holes in leaves and produce, discoloration to the plant, and in some cases stunted growth. Certain species may leave behind silk webbing too. While some caterpillars are concerning, others will develop into beneficial insects, so it is important to identify the caterpillar species. 

Keep Your Plants Healthy: If your plants are healthy, they will be able to better handle having caterpillars feed on them. You’ll want to make sure your plants get enough water, sunlight, and nutrients. Place your plants in clean pots with the soil type that is best for them.

Check Your Plants for Caterpillars: Identifying a problem early with make it easier to prevent or control an infestation. Check your plants for these bugs, their eggs, or signs of their activity. Caterpillars often gravitate to the underside of leaves or near the stem.

Physically Remove Caterpillars: If you spot a caterpillar on your plant, you can remove them by hand. It’s best to wear gloves when handling the caterpillar. These bugs don’t like to travel far for food, so you can relocate them to a different area in your yard. You can also drop them into a container of soapy water.

Use a Row Cover: Row covers can help to protect your plants from caterpillars and other pests. The row covers sit on top of your plants, preventing insects from reaching them. The row cover still allows sunlight and water to reach the plants.

Plant Bug-Repelling Plants: Some plants also have a built-in mechanism to protect themselves from hungry bugs—their scent. Adding a few bug-repelling plants to your garden can help to deter caterpillar activity. Thyme, basil, peppermint, and lavender are a few plants known to repel bugs. 

Using insecticide sprays can help to protect your plants from caterpillars. Our 3-in-1 Garden Spray and our Vegetable Garden Insect & Disease Control spray are labeled to control caterpillars. Our 3-in-1 Garden Spray is formulated using plant oils as the active ingredients. It can be applied to flowers, houseplants, shrubs, herbs, vegetables, and other edible and ornamental plants. Our Vegetable Garden Insect & Disease Control spray is formulated using sulfur and pyrethrins. It can be used on vegetables, flowers, ornamental trees and shrubs, and fruit and nut trees. 

Application Tips

You’ll want to shake the bottle well before use and periodically during use. Treatments are most effective when used at the first sighting of insects and insect damage. It’s best to apply the product early in the morning or in the evening, avoiding applications during the heat of the day. Avoid using our Vegetable Garden Insect & Disease Control spray if temperatures are expected to be over 90° F.

 

Thoroughly spray all areas of the plant, including the underside of leaves. Work to make contact with as many caterpillars as possible. You can apply our 3-in-1 Garden Spray every 5–7 days when insects are present. Our Vegetable Garden Insect & Disease Control spray can be applied every 7–10 days, but it should not be reapplied within 3 days unless you are dealing with a severe infestation. It can be used up to the day before harvest. We always recommend test spraying a small area of the plant first before applying to the entire plant to check for plant sensitivity.

To keep your garden and plants healthy, you need to keep hungry pests away. Implementing preventative measures and using pest control products can help to keep caterpillars from bugging your plants.