Caterpillars often show up in our gardens around late summer and early fall. Yes, they’ll create holes in your leaves, but only take extreme measures if you feel they’re being too destructive or there are too many.
If caterpillars have been growing their population in your garden and creating damage, you should follow the steps to eliminate them in multiple ways. Here, we have included tested and tried methods that can help you to get rid of caterpillars.
How To Get Rid of Caterpillars Naturally
1. Hand Removal
When it comes to tackling caterpillars head-on, nothing beats the old-fashioned method of hand removal. Yes, you heard that right! Do some gloves and prepare for battle. Snatch those little critters right off your plants and give them a one-way ticket out of your garden. Shift them to roadside areas or other plants.
2. Garlic Solution
Caterpillars may have a taste for your plants, but they can't stand the power of garlic. Whip up a garlic solution by mixing 1 tablespoon of molasses, 1 teaspoon of dish soap, and a liter of warm water. Give your plants a regular spray-down with this concoction, and watch those caterpillars turn tail and run.
3. Using Bacteria
Sometimes, the best way to outsmart nature is by using nature itself. Enter Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacteria that solves your caterpillar woes. When ingested by these pests, it knocks them out for good. Bacillus thuringiensis is safe for your plants, pollinators, and even your beloved pets. It's a win-win situation!
If you're a fan of all things natural, then neem oil is your new best friend. This botanical extract, derived from the neem tree, is a powerful weapon against small insect pests such as caterpillars and mites. Spraying neem oil suffocates these pesky creatures, ensuring they never bother your beloved plants again.
5. Pepper Spray
If you're feeling a bit adventurous, apply this technique. Whip up some homemade pepper spray and watch them flee in terror. Put on your gloves and safety goggles, and finely chop enough habanero peppers to fill half a cup.
Crush six garlic cloves, and then blend the peppers, garlic, 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon of dish soap.
6. Soapy Water
Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective. In the case of caterpillars, a solution of hot water and mild dish soap is your secret weapon. As you pick off the caterpillars from your plants, simply drown them in this soapy mixture. To protect vulnerable plants, give them a good spray of soapy water.
7. Homemade Caterpillar Deterrent
If you’re not ready to shell out for caterpillar control, you can mix up a home remedy to get the job done. For plants, a regular spray of a molasses solution (1 tablespoon molasses, 1 teaspoon dish soap, and a liter of warm water) or a garlic solution (three crushed cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon dish soap, and a liter of water) will deter insects from munching.
8. Empty the Nest
A more aggressive way to attack the problem is to destroy the caterpillars’ nest. You’ll often find these silk-spun homes hanging from tree limbs.
Simply punch your implement of choice into the nest itself, then spin and scrape along its interior to remove all of its inhabitants. Afterward, dispose of the nest and its contents in a bucket of warm, soapy water to drown still-living caterpillars.
A simple mixture of vinegar and water can effectively kill and repel most garden pests, including caterpillars. Mix two tablespoons of vinegar with one gallon of water and spray it wherever caterpillars have been spotted. This will irritate and burn the caterpillars in your garden and kill them.
10. Baking Soda
Combat fungal problems and deter caterpillars with a homemade fungicide. Mix one liter of water with one teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of natural Castile soap, and two teaspoons of vegetable oil.
Spray this solution on your plant's leaves twice a month as a preventative measure or every three days to treat existing fungal issues.
11. Dipel
Opt for an organic solution like Dipel, which utilizes bacteria to infect and kill caterpillars without harming other beneficial insects or the environment. Simply spray Dipel on the leaves of infested plants or susceptible plants as a preventive measure.
12. Regular Garden Maintenance
Regular maintenance of the garden is a crucial way to remove caterpillars. This includes cleaning up fallen leaves, and infected parts, and removing the caterpillars manually. It is also essential to remove any potential sources that can attract caterpillars.
Birds are perhaps the best at controlling caterpillars naturally. Thus, it is a good idea to make your garden appealing to them. Try placing a birdbath, some bird feeders, and even a birdhouse or two into the garden to elicit interest. If you have space, chickens also offer a great way to get rid of caterpillars.
14. Drown the caterpillars
If you aren’t afraid of touching the caterpillars, then this is one way to get rid of caterpillars without spraying chemicals or other substances on your leaves. Fill a bucket about halfway with water.
The size of the bucket depends on the volume of caterpillars you are dealing with. If it is just a few, a coffee-size cup might do. If you have a lot of caterpillars, you might need a 5-gallon water bucket.
How To Get Rid of Caterpillars Using Chemicals
15. Bacillus Thuringiensis
It is a biological insecticide that is useful to eradicate caterpillars. This insecticide produces proteins that are harmful to caterpillars when spread over them.
These harmful ingredients affect the digestive system of caterpillars causing them to stop feeding which kills them eventually. This is only harmful to caterpillars and safe for humans and other necessary insects.
16. Spinosad
It is a natural insecticide that affects the nervous system of caterpillars. It is beneficial when the volume of caterpillars is large. Also, this is not harmful to human beings and other necessary insects. This can be applied to organic farming as well. Apply using basic safety equipment like gloves and mask as it is ready to use spray.
17. Pyrethroids
It is a synthetic insecticide that affects the nervous system of caterpillars leading to paralysis and eventually death. This insecticide reacts quickly and the results can be seen instantly as the spray is applied. It is available in various forms like powder and spray. Apply it according to the instructions provided in the package for effective results.
18. Poison
This naturally occurring soil bacteria kills caterpillars in a matter of days by destroying the lining of their stomachs. Simply dust its powder or mist its liquid form directly onto your garden plants and wait for the caterpillars to get hungry. Apply without worry about negative side effects: It is completely safe for plants, their pollinators, pets, and humans.
How To Get Rid of Caterpillars From Professional Help
Garden pest control expertise in dealing with pesky pests. They will implement tailored strategies to eliminate caterpillars from your garden once and for all.
Don't let these leaf-munching bandits ruin your gardening dreams. Trust the professionals to restore your garden to its former glory. There you have it, the ultimate guide to banishing caterpillars from your garden forever.
20. Sticky Traps
Sticky traps are one of the useful and nontoxic methods to control caterpillars in your garden. These traps are yellow, blue color color-coated with a sticky adhesive that sticks caterpillars on them.
For its proper use place them in multiple places around the infected places on the surface of the ground. Check the traps regularly and replace them accordingly.
Signs of Caterpillars in Garden
Chewed Leaves
There are holes in the leaves of the plants with missing parts and irregular edges. The damage is different from leaves being damaged to being disappear.
The best way to figure out the presence of caterpillars is to check the leaf conditions like edges, patterns, etc. If any irregularities are found on the leaf and any unusual things are seen then it is confirmed.
Frass
Frass is the remaining of the caterpillars that they drop after eating the leaves. The shape of the frass is small and dark in color. These remaining are seen on soil, leaves, and stems of infested plants. It indicates that the caterpillars are present and feeding your garden's plant. The size of the frass can determine the species of caterpillar.
Silk Webbing
The presence of caterpillars can also be identified through silk webbing on the plant. Caterpillars like tent caterpillars and webworms, produce noticeable webs and nests that can symbolize their presence. Search for the webs on the branches, leaves, flower buds, etc. The web protects caterpillars from predators.
Caterpillars leave the veins of the leaves as they are unchewable for them. They usually eat the soft parts of the leaves that are chewable and leave the remains that seem like a skeleton of the leaves. It is common with certain caterpillars like the grape leaf skeletonizer.
Defoliation
Plants may lose a large level of part of their foliage in case of a heavy volume of caterpillars on the plant. This creates a problem in the growth of the plants and results in low production of flowers and fruits. If it is not controlled then it can weaken the plant, making it more vulnerable to other pests and diseases which can lead to death.
Flower and Fruit Damage
Caterpillars fed on the flowers, fruits, and leaves of the plants. This reduces the quality of fruits and their value in the market. Search for holes and chew marks on the mentioned parts to figure out the presence of caterpillars.
Clusters of Eggs
The eggs of the moths and butterflies are visible on the lower side of the leaves. Its appearance is usually small, round, and stuck on line segments. They are yellow, white, and other colors depending on the species of caterpillar. Removing the egg-stricken part of the plant or destroying the eggs can help to prevent fertilization of the egg.
Increased bird activity
Caterpillars are the desired food of birds. They like to feed on them wherever they reside. If birds are seen over the garden in unusual form then there is the possibility of the presence of caterpillars.
But they are one of the best natural pest controllers available. Don't interrupt them and provide a suitable environment for them to feed on caterpillars.
How To Prevent Caterpillars from Returning
Once the caterpillars are removed from your garden there is a possibility that it may return in the future. To overcome the pressure to prevent them from being infested in your garden apply the techniques mentioned below.
Check your garden regularly, especially during the season of growth. This helps to indicate early signs of caterpillars and their damage. Search for the signs and remove the eggs if present under the leaves of the plants. Destroy the eggs or remove the parts of the plant like buds, leaves, foliage, etc to prevent them from hatching.
Clean Debris and Do Crop Rotation
Clean the debris from time to time or at the end of the season to prevent the caterpillars from being infested in your garden. Remove fallen leaves, flowers, and other parts of plants from the plants. Do crop rotation in your vegetable gardens to break the cycle of caterpillars which can help you to prevent them.
Pruning and Maintenance
Maintain healthy plants through proper watering, fertilization, and pruning to make them immune from pests and diseases. Pruning also helps to prepare the plant for another season and filter the damaged parts of the plants which helps them to grow.
Use nets to cover your garden to prevent the caterpillars from entering your garden.
Encouraging Natural Predators
Make an environment where you can attract the predators of caterpillars in your garden. Spread seeds and foods for birds to make them feed on caterpillars.
Also, attract other predators like ladybugs, lacewings, and parasite wasps which can feed on caterpillars. This will help to prevent caterpillars from regenerating.
At first glance, these stunning green caterpillars resemble small snakes or tree frogs a clever disguise designed to ward off predators. Most extraordinary are the false tan eyespots ringed in black.
They're not real eyes, but the level of detail in this mimicry is remarkable, including black pupils in the center complete with white highlights that resemble light reflections.
2. Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar
Come spring, female monarchs begin laying their eggs exclusively on milkweed plants. Once hatched, these strikingly striped orange, black, and white caterpillars devour their nutrient-rich eggshell and begin gorging on milkweed leaves.
In the process, they also ingest toxins called cardenolides that don't harm them but are poisonous to predator birds.
3. Zebra Longwing Butterfly Caterpillar
These formidable-looking caterpillars feed on the leaves of several species of passion flower (Passiflora). But this dietary preference isn't just about nutrition. It is also about predator protection. Passionflower contains toxic, bitter-tasting psychoactive alkaloids. By munching these plants, zebra-longwing caterpillars become foul-tasting and toxic.
4. Saddleback Caterpillar Moth
It's not hard to see how this caterpillar got its name. It's all in the neon green "saddle" on its back, edged in white with a purplish-brown oval spot in the center.
Vibrant colors are yet another way Mother Nature sends a warning. These crazy-looking critters, found throughout the eastern U.S., Mexico, and Central America, may only be an inch long.
5. Cecropia Moth Caterpillar
These plump green bruisers, found throughout the U.S. and Canada, grow to be over four inches long.13 As they pack on weight, they turn from black to bright sea green to iridescent bluish green.
Most impressive, though, are their many blue, orange, and yellow protuberances (tubercles) wielding black spines. They may look scary, but it's all for show.
What do Caterpillars Eat
Almost all caterpillars feed on plants and most plant-feeding caterpillars feed on leaves, which are the most abundant and accessible part of the plant.
However, some burrow into stems, and others, called leaf miners, live between the top and bottom membranes of a leaf. A few caterpillar species prefer to eat flower petals, and there’s even one that decorates itself with the petals for camouflage.
