Chop now, or fight caterpillars?

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pabloesqobar

Well-Known Member
So I just figured out what's been eating my plant. Caterpillars. I picked off about 4 or 5 of them today. I read up on them already. I've posted some pics of the damage.

Will it be worth my time trying to fight them at this late stage? Or, should I just flush and chop before they have a chance to ruin more of my plant?
 

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chicoles

chicoles

Well-Known Member
pabloesqobar said:
So I just figured out what's been eating my plant. Caterpillars. I picked off about 4 or 5 of them today. I read up on them already. I've posted some pics of the damage.

Will it be worth my time trying to fight them at this late stage? Or, should I just flush and chop before they have a chance to ruin more of my plant?
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I have one plant growing outside socal and saw the same problem. I only found three catapillars so far and I look for them most days. The bottom line is if you get them all the plant will finish. Two colas that had some damage started growing again.

I am growing a few up north and have seen no bug problems.

Good Luck
 
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pabloesqobar

Well-Known Member
Thanks Chicoles. I was thinking I had thrips, and the little white eggs were thrip eggs. After reading the 37 page bud worm thread, I now know those little white balls are moth eggs, and the resulting worms/caterpillars and bud damage.

I'll get some BT today and spray and see if I can find any more worms with the naked eye. This plant is becoming quite the chore.
 
chicoles

chicoles

Well-Known Member
pabloesqobar said:
Thanks Chicoles. I was thinking I had thrips, and the little white eggs were thrip eggs. After reading the 37 page bud worm thread, I now know those little white balls are moth eggs, and the resulting worms/caterpillars and bud damage.

I'll get some BT today and spray and see if I can find any more worms with the naked eye. This plant is becoming quite the chore.
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I normally do indoor, as soon as it cools down I'll fire up the lights
 
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siek13

Member
fuck im hyaveing the same problom man im fuckin pist i found so many catapilers im fuckin mad right now did that struff hlep it??
what should i do?please help me asap befor they eaqt the rest of it plase sent me a message and tell me if that stuff works!!
pabloesqobar said:
So I just figured out what's been eating my plant. Caterpillars. I picked off about 4 or 5 of them today. I read up on them already. I've posted some pics of the damage.

Will it be worth my time trying to fight them at this late stage? Or, should I just flush and chop before they have a chance to ruin more of my plant?
Click to expand...
 
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radric davis

Member
I chopped early... Sux, cut my yield prolly in half... Those things can ravage ur crop quickly. Best of luck with the BT stuff.
 
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pabloesqobar

Well-Known Member
Wow, sorry you guys had to deal with these cocksuckers too.

So, the directions called for 4 teaspoons per gallon, so I put 1 teaspoon in my 32 ounce sprayer. I think the math's right. The stuff is green, kinda weird looking. I sprayed the shit out of the plant this evening. I'm guessing I won't know for a few days whether it's actually working.

I read this entire thread about bud worms:

https://www.rollitup.org/outdoor-growing/108398-yeah-its-bud-worm-season.html
 

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pabloesqobar

Well-Known Member
After spraying last night, I went through my buds this afternoon. I probably pulled 10 - 20 worms. Those little ones are tough to spot. I did a good job of digging into my buds looking for them, and really jacked some of them up.

Anyone else have any thoughts about whether it's worth my time trying to use BT at this late stage? I'd hate to waste valuable time and bud in a useless fight.

If I chop now I know I'll have some useable smoke. However, I have no idea if that will be true if I try to fight these things for the next few weeks.

I'm leaning towards chopping her.
 
jrinlv

jrinlv

Well-Known Member
The worms look different in different areas of the country. But they are usually green and range from a 1/4 in to 1 inch. They love to live in the tightness of the buds and are hard to spot. I had a bout with them this year. I ripped about 14-16 worms out of five 8-10in tall buds. You have to work over the bud pretty hard but I have not had any more damage in the last 2 weeks.


I think you should only use BT in the early stages of flowering. It looks like some nasty stuff. Good luck JR
 
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pabloesqobar

Well-Known Member
I'm glad you were successful in your fight against these worms jrinlv. Me, not so much - yet. I went out this morning and did some more digging thru buds and removed about 5 or so more. They range from tiny little brown baby worms, to larger green worms. I'll give it another dose of BT either tonight or tomorrow night. I think that'll be my last dose. I don't want my buds tasting funny, and as long as the moths keep laying their eggs on top of my buds, I will always be needing to spray. I don't think previous sprays of BT will be any help against newly laid eggs and their subsequent worms. Right now it's just day to day. I have no idea how this will turn out.
 
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ugrowgirl

Member
I'm also having the problem in SoCal outside. Hubby and I spend hours pickingcatapillers off. The only
plant it didn't get is the one near the marigolds. Found out (for next year) the moths don't like
Marigolds.
 
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pabloesqobar

Well-Known Member
ugrowgirl said:
I'm also having the problem in SoCal outside. Hubby and I spend hours pickingcatapillers off. The only
plant it didn't get is the one near the marigolds. Found out (for next year) the moths don't like
Marigolds.
Click to expand...

Ugrowgirl, are you having any success saving your crop by picking them off? Are you using the BT?

I dug through the buds today and picked more off. There's definitely less of them now. I've found that small needle nose pliers work perfect for getting at them.
 
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