Plant Pest Caterpillar

Plant Pest

One of the most identifiable garden plant pest is the caterpillar. Some look fuzzy and cute while others look worm-like in appearance. But regardless of how they may look they are up to no good when near or on your vegetable plants.

Caterpillar life cycle 2-6 weeks

Caterpillars are the larvae of butterflies and moths whose primary function is to eat, grow, pupate and emerge as adult moths or butterflies.

But unlike most plant pests, caterpillars are unique in what they eat. They have a very limited diet and most species will only eat the leaves of a single type of plant. Usually this is not a problem because nature has given the butterfly and moth the instinct to scout out a host plant as a home for her eggs. And as a vegetable gardener, if one of your vegetable plants is what she is searching for, then it becomes fair game to the butterfly.

plant pest a caterpillar chewing on a leaf

Caterpillars have chewing mouthparts that feed on their host plant by eating holes of variou sizes in leaves until nothing is left but the leaf vein. Usually this is not life-threatening to your crops, but your vegetable plants do look unsightly to look at thereby encouraging most vegetable gardeners to rid their crops of this plant pest.

Cabbage Worm

Worthy of note, is the persistent "Imported Cabage Worm." This vegetable plant pest can wreak havoc to farm crops where vegetables are produced on a large scale. However, for us part-time or hobby gardeners their damage will be minor if you check your vegetable crops on a regular basis and remove any caterpillars you see.

Other than eating leaves, these vegetable garden pests will often penetrate the head of cabbage or get into the developing flower (i.e. the part we eat) of broccoli, cauliflower or any other member of the caggage family.

One way of reducing your frustration caused by these garden plant pests is by planting crops early in the season before the cabbage worm population has built up significantly. If you plant too late from about mid-July on, then you will find your time consumed getting rid of this vegetable plant pest.

Checking your vegetable plants on a regular basis for caterpillars is part of your gardening efforts, but may I remind you to also look above and around especially during butterfly season for any indication that the cabbage worm butterfly or come to that any butterfly may be looking for a home for her eggs in your garden. Although butterflies look pretty and have their place in nature they are also a plant pest, so do double duty in your regular gardening maintenance by checking under plant leaves for any sign of egg deposit. By removing any eggs you see will be one less plant pest you will eventually have to deal with.

cabbage butterfly is a plant pest

Better known to gardeners as the cabbage butterfly, the adult is white with black tipped forewings and have two black spots on top of each of their forewings; males have one black spot.

Contrary to belief, butterflies do not harm vegetable crops, but some species feed on nectar of flowers yet other species do not feed at all they only drink.

Life cycle spring to first hard frost

For more information on this plant pest and other nasty critters, be sure to read

garden pest As always

Happy Gardening

Garden Planter

This is an ideal solution to vegetable gardening if you live in an apartment with a balcony or have a patio with limited garden space.

A vegetable garden planter seen here may be just what you need. Most types of vegetables can be grown in this planter including herbs.

If your love of gardening leans toward flowers as an added touch on your balcony or patio, then indeed plant flowers instead of vegetables. Your garden planter won't mind whatever you plant.

Soil Moisture Tester

As any successful vegetable gardener will tell you, a soil moisture tester is a must to grow a healthy vegetable crop. How else are you going to know whether your plants have too much or too little water for their survival?

A soil moisture tester like the one to the left can be purchased at a very reasonable price and well worth the investment. They can also be purchased at any gardening store. Whatever your choice, do consider getting one for your garden.

Ready Made Raised Bed Garden

Not every vegetable gardener lives in garden heaven having perfect soil to grow their garden. For those of us not so fortunate, a raised bed garden in my opinion is a solution to poor soil.

If you are a bit of a carpenter, you can build your own raised bed, or as you can see to the left, purchase a ready made bed that you just assemble.

I have several in my garden and opted for a second tier in height.

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