Yeah! It's Bud Worm Season. Pics

slumerican666

slumerican666

Member
So this stuff has helped my soil and plants stay strong and healthy. Haven't had any real issues with pests.. just trying to be as helpful as possible. Hydroponic research has some decent products
 

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jbcCT

jbcCT

Well-Known Member
Just as a reminder. If you have had caterpillar and worm issues in the past expect them every year. The formula for success is real simple;

-you must pre spray them with BT before you even see a single worm.
-right as pre-flower starts for most.
-continue to spray from July right up until harvest at least twice a week
-best time is early morning. You want the sun to dry the product for best results.
-visually inspect the plants and remove by hand any egg clutches.
-waiting until you have an infestation spells doom

I reduced damage to my plants by over 95% the last two seasons. When you spray early and consistently, the eggs that do hatch will die with the first bite of your plant. I spray BT on fully formed buds and it has no impact on taste or quality. I wash my outdoor before I hang anyway. Gets rid of any dust, small flies and particulate.

Good luck this season. I'll be throwing up some pics this year. I got in the dirt a little late this season but I think it will work out.

I bought some midnight frost from SGG. I guess it's crossed with DJ Short F13 blueberry. Got some bodhi lines as well.
 
YardG

YardG

Well-Known Member
Heard on the radio that this is gonna be a particularly bad years for caterpillars, as the state didn't do much recon and spraying last year.
 
Sir Napsalot

Sir Napsalot

Well-Known Member
jbcCT said:
I spray BT on fully formed buds
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I don't spray buds- the moths generally lay their eggs on leaves big enough to support their clutch, then the caterpillars make their way to the flowers, eating the BT on the way

I've never found a dead caterpillar in a bud- this is just my personal experience and I agree with everything else you posted
 
Kerowacked

Kerowacked

Well-Known Member
I’ve never found an egg cluster on fan leaves, only single eggs stuck to sugar leaves. I firmly believe the eggs are laid elsewhere and drift in the wind like pollen til they stick to something.14E4AF5F-8AD7-412A-83BA-354392E660B7.jpeg
 
jbcCT

jbcCT

Well-Known Member
Kerowacked said:
I’ve never found an egg cluster on fan leaves, only single eggs stuck to sugar leaves. I firmly believe the eggs are laid elsewhere and drift in the wind like pollen til they stick to something.View attachment 4938646
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Great post. For the first time last year I started removing single eggs off my buds every morning. We're dealing with multiple species. Some drop the singles off, some lay the clutch at the leaf tip.
 
jbcCT

jbcCT

Well-Known Member
Match set, game on. Here we are first week of July in the NE and the battle lines have been drawn. Sprayed first BT application this morning. I found three just hatched singles yesterday. It's twice a week here on out.

Pro tip; buy yourself a decent hand sprayer. Don't be cheap. For larger outdoor crops you can get the bulb attachment that fits on a hose.

If your hand spraying, bend a knee and spray upward motion. You want complete coverage, even leaf bottoms. Coat the stems too. Really get in those nooks & crannies before they cover with flower.
 
jbcCT

jbcCT

Well-Known Member
Sir Napsalot said:
I put that leaf in a plastic bag and in 4-5 days it was full of hundreds of tiny caterpillars, which would have posed a definite threat to my plant had they not expired in a plastic bag
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I copied you. I snipped off a leaf tip too. As soon as the plant matter dies they hatch. It was actually your pic that got scanning my leaf tips every day.
 
jbcCT

jbcCT

Well-Known Member
So here's a good example of why pre treatment and frequent treatment with BT is important to keeping your plants super clean. Inspecting my plants this morning the sniper moth, lone egg droppers were busy last night.

IMG_20210718_091627533_MP.jpg

With rain and morning dew you need to thoroughly spray at least once a week. When they hatch they are the size of a human hair. One bite of BT and thats it. They will fall off the plant or be eaten by a variety of other helpful pests, like spiders.
 
Slicksmitty

Slicksmitty

Member
CrazyChester said:
Chowing down on your buds at this very moment. At least their chowing down on mine. I hit them with some with some BT this evening.

I have a question or two for those who have used BT in the past. Does it effect the quality of the weed. (Taste, Buzz....) And is it really safe for smoking. How long do you have to wait after spraying before you harvest. I've been using BT on my garden for decades without any problems but I always wash the food I grow before I eat it. But I'd have to be crazy to wash my weed before smoking it. Though I could give it a little spray down a few days before harvest. Any suggestions?

Here's some pics of my two plants progress. You can see the damage done to one of the buds and one of our crawly little pests.

If anyone has any idea of the strains I'm growing I'd sure like to know.
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Bud Worms??? Never heard of such a thing! Please tell me the are just in states other than virginia. I fight enough battles with spiders, snails, and aphids. Please no more.
 
jbcCT

jbcCT

Well-Known Member
Slicksmitty said:
Bud Worms??? Never heard of such a thing! Please tell me the are just in states other than virginia. I fight enough battles with spiders, snails, and aphids. Please no more.
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I'm in the northeast and I cant imagine moths are unique to my state alone. They are silent assassin's. In my region several species of moth lay eggs from early July to late October.

I wouldn't be able to even grow outside unless I had BT.

So if you have plants outdoors right now I highly suggest you purchase a bottle ASAP and apply it as soon as possible.
 
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