Canadabrew
Well-Known Member
They seem to eat a leaf pretty quickly. So far I've just been taking them off when I say them.
Any ideas what these things are eating my hops?
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runningweird
Well-Known Member
try a product called BT - its not harmful to people its a bacterial insecticide that gets rid of pretty much everything. I think those are question mark caterpillars, Polygonia interrogationis,
http://bugguide.net/node/view/397853/bgimage
http://bugguide.net/node/view/397853/bgimage
Looks like butterfly larvae. Not sure what kind tho. Could be moth too. Painted Lady larvae look very similar to that.
runningweird
Well-Known Member
where are you by the way? getting your geographical location will help narrow down the list of suspects
Canadabrew
Well-Known Member
Just north of Toronto.
runningweird said:
Bt won't get rid of everything, but it will get rid of the caterpillars and other "worms" or larvae of many species. It will work on those pictured above.
If you have other pests as well (like aphids), a more broad spectrum insecticide may be needed for control of them all. I use Bonide garden dust or Bonide BT Thuricide, depending on needs.
runningweird
Well-Known Member
I win.
runningweird
Well-Known Member
also remember, anything you put on your hops will eventually get into your beer and into you - even if it is in small doses. Consider carefully what kind of chemical insecticides you want to be ingesting from your beer.
Canadabrew
Well-Known Member
Right which is why up until now I just squash them and check my hops daily.
I think it's a crescent butterfly caterpillar; there were some on my hops too. I squished about 6 or 7 and haven't seen them since.
ButcherBoy
Well-Known Member
I don't mind sharing with butterflies or moths, as long as there aren't too many. It can be fun to keep track of the caterpillar and watch it transform into the flying adult, especially a big one. If your plants are healthy and there aren't too many it won't hurt anything.
