Is this bud rot?

[Milovan1]

I haven’t seen anything else wrong. I noticed the caterpillar while looking at the trichcomes through a Jewlers loupe . The next day I found a second one right on the top bud. I look every day now and haven’t found another.

By the pics looks like caterpillar damage imo. Also some of the times you can find the tiny black caterpillar round ball like droppings near
the sites. When I come across bud damage such as yours I use a loupe and inspect every bud on the plant(s) very closely by gently opening
up the buds slightly with my fingers to find the critters. I have found many this way in past grows. They are usually on the inside of the bud eating the bud away but on occasions you will see them on the outside of the bud working/eating their way inside. Some are extremely tiny some bigger and I pull them out with a pair of tweezers before any more damage is done and they move from bud to bud damaging the buds along the way. You can also use magnified reading glasses to find them. This way it makes it more easy by using both hands while you work on the buds. The affected area's will snap of easy with a slight tug of the fingers. On the other hand if bud rot it usually starts on the inside of the buds working it's way to the outside. Hard to notice since it starts on the inside and usually goes unnoticed till it reaches the outside perimeter of the bud(s).

 

[MICHI-CAN]

It will progress to this. Keep an eye out for the droppings. Kinda look like micro rabbit droppings. Dark black. Add BT to your preventitive measures next year. Kill any moths in your yard you can. I run a bug zapper 20' from my girls until flower. Along with a bird feeder 10' away and 5' off the ground. They put a large dent in my insect problems.

I lost about 9 or 10 branches from 10 plants so far. This pic is also mold now too. Regalia is being used for it now. Learn from it and be prepared next run. Best wishes.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

 

[Milovan1]

I run a bug zapper 20' from my girls until flower.

I only get moths during flower never before. Also why not use the zapper during flower or do you?
Anyhow, why 20' from your girls? Why not close to them? Just wondering/learning about your excellent method.

Just before nightfall I cover my plants with mosquito netting to keep the
moths of my plants and works great. I also like your method so that is why I ask
those question(s). Might be easier then covering the plants with the netting every nightfall then removing them
every morning lol.

 

[spotemnow]

Is it too late for b.t? I went over her inch by inch found this black dot but no caterpillars. I opened a few up - nothing. I pulled apart the brown spot and removed it and didn’t find anything. Smells GREAT and my fingers are sticky icky. My 1st grow and I am excited, anxious and now nervous. I think about them all the time and like to sit outside and admire my girls

 

[MICHI-CAN]

Why 20' from your girls? Why not close to them?
Just wondering/learning about your excellent method.

Just before nightfall I cover my plants with mosquito netting to keep the
moths of my plants and works great. I also like your method so that is why I ask
those question(s). Might be easier then covering the plants with the netting every nightfall then removing them
every morning lol.

Thank you. Just old school farm lernin'. Any closer and the bugs are drawn into your plants. Trying to draw away. Get the lure in the zone without hitting the fish in the head thing. Just the distance I settled on. The swarm stays clear of my garden by about 10'. As an added bonus you can collect the carcasses below the zapper and use for free bricks. I get 3-5#s in the 3 months I run it. And they work.

Pushing nature and organic as far as I can. Growing up around and in orchards ang greenhouses I have seen the horrors of petro chem exposure as it killed most of my mentors.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

Is it too late for b.t? I went over her inch by inch found this black dot but no caterpillars. I opened a few up - nothing. I pulled apart the brown spot and removed it and didn’t find anything. Smells GREAT and my fingers are sticky icky. My 1st grow and I am excited, anxious and now nervous. I think about them all the time and like to sit outside and admire my girls View attachment 4679942View attachment 4679938View attachment 4679938View attachment 4679940View attachment 4679941View attachment 4679942

That's "cat poop". Be vigilant. You are at that time I have no answers for. Rapidly approaching that place myself.

 

[ktmracer51]

From the original pics you posted it looks like botrytis in the bud