Controlling the damn Caterpillars this year
- Thread starter Sideways
- Start date
Go out in the morning and look for the caterpillars shit droppings...there usually hangin on under the bud above the droppings..I smash them between my fingers and hope all the other pillars can here it explode...I'm thinking some bird netting above the plants early next year will prevent the butterflies from nesting next year...its pretty late in the game to be using sprays...good luck with ur harvest
Cannasseur
Member
I just want to remove some room for misconception.
Bt is great and one of the reason is because it is super selective in its target, so take that into consideration when making your purchase. Only specific subspecies of bt are effective against certain horticultural pests (israeliensis = fungus gnats / tenebrionsis - potato beetles / kurstaki - caterpillars / azawai - caterpillars).
Bt is great and one of the reason is because it is super selective in its target, so take that into consideration when making your purchase. Only specific subspecies of bt are effective against certain horticultural pests (israeliensis = fungus gnats / tenebrionsis - potato beetles / kurstaki - caterpillars / azawai - caterpillars).
yup the lil green bastards!! and yes they are more visible in the morning
I had some tough times with caterpillars the last few years,stringing out of the buds when drying & rotting big colas during growth.
I sprayed weekly with BT & organicide combined into the 4th week of flowering this year & haven't seen a single little bastard on the plants growing or the strains I'm drying right now.
I sprayed weekly with BT & organicide combined into the 4th week of flowering this year & haven't seen a single little bastard on the plants growing or the strains I'm drying right now.
E
el dub
Just took down and trimmed a few small plants that will yield a bit over a pound dry in total and I found zero signs of cat infestation. Azamax was my weapon of choice this season. Hit the gals every ten days or so until about three weeks before harvest. Last season I lost about 1/3 of my flowers to caterpillar damage but DID learn a bunch about making oil.
lw
lw
BigDaddyTrax
Member
Just found a couple of (what I think are) those Cabbage Looper caterpillars on one of my indoor plants. I could see that something was eating away at it but couldn't find it until yesterday. It was eating the leaves near the buds in crazy little patterns. Looked like a bunch of pinholes in various squiggly lines. Luckily, they were only babies and hadn't done too much dammage yet. I just KNOW there are more that I didn't see. I'd rather not spray my plants with anything so hopefully those were the only ones. If not, I'll def be picking up some of that Safer. Maybe a rogue moth got into my growroom somehow? Grr..
Steinawitz
Member
The only time i've had to use Spinosad indoors was to control thrips. Happy to report that since i caught them early, it only took one treatment to kill those bastards.
Growing outdoors, Sideways, I used the Safer Caterpillar killer this season and had great results from it. I knew from previous seasons that caterpillars were a nuisance, and the day that I saw those white moths and yellow butterflys flying in the air I began my using Safer as a precaution. I used it at 1/2 recommended dosage, but sprayed every 2-3 weeks. From about Mid July to Early Oct.
I had great results with this regimen. A few nibbles and browning here and there, but nothing major.
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Sideways
Member
Final tally this year- best year ever for keeping the caterpillars at bay. Maybe 1-2% damage. Spinosad & azatrol combo early on with a couple of applications of Safers Cater killer. Spray every 8- 10 days at dusk, from august to third week of September. Spectacular results. Did not find one Cater in the nugs we've harvested so far. Happy harvests!
Spinosad early and often, right up till harvest. Never fails.
I think the biggest reason a limited application chart is given is because of the immunity some mites and others pests can acquire. In an ongoing greenhouse operation this may be of some concern, but in a grow that is cleaned and sterilized each round, it shouldn't be an issue.
Caterpillars do not build up immunities to anything.
I think the biggest reason a limited application chart is given is because of the immunity some mites and others pests can acquire. In an ongoing greenhouse operation this may be of some concern, but in a grow that is cleaned and sterilized each round, it shouldn't be an issue.
Caterpillars do not build up immunities to anything.
Steinawitz
Member
Not to thump trees, but another reason for limited spinosad application is it's effect to bees immediately after spraying.
this is why I keep my applications down to the recommended one-a-month. no caterpillars so far. Harvest is about 25% done.
Green Giants
New member
How close to harvest can the BT be used .
i would be comfortable using it up to 3 weeks before harvest. maybe less if I knew I had a problem. the problem is that adding moisture in the form of a foliar BT application may not be wise in an outdoor scenario... you're just asking for mold issues.
This year, my last BT application was september 18th, a full month or more before harvest. Repeated close inspections to that point turned up zero evidence of caterpillars. None were found at harvest.
This year, my last BT application was september 18th, a full month or more before harvest. Repeated close inspections to that point turned up zero evidence of caterpillars. None were found at harvest.
Green Giants
New member
Thanks Nomaad and glad to hear you had none. Would you happen to know at what low temperature they die? I have searched for hours with no luck.
