Pesky pests / myLot

February 5, 2016 12:19am CST

A garden with lovely flowers to attract butterflies and humming birds also attracts other pesky pests, though unintentionally. My little garden has Ixora, pentas, Lantana and verbinas that attract butterflies and sunbirds. It also seem to encourage butterflies to lay eggs on my plants and today as I was watering my garden I noticed huge caterpillars on some plants. My tiny lemon plants always takes a beating when this happens. This meant that I had to spend a long time in the garden today carefully looking for and removing all caterpillars on them. I am not too fond of handling these creepy crawlies, but I do it if I need too. Are you okay with handling worms and pests? Click on the picture to see the beautiful markings on this pest.

12 people like this

12 responses

sishy7

@sishy7 (27167)

• Australia

5 Feb 16

Definitely not okay - no matter how pretty they are...

But that creature on your picture sure is beautiful if I only have to look at it...

2 people like this

sofs

@sofssu (23662)

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5 Feb 16

LOL I certainly know a few people who love to play with caterpillars.. Boys in their tweens.

Michelle

@infatuatedbby (94914)

• United States

5 Feb 16

It isn't too often to see caterpillars though!

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sofs

@sofssu (23662)

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5 Feb 16

@infatuatedbby Not in my garden.. I'll probably find them everyday if I am not careful to spray my weekly homemade non chemical pesticide spray.

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Morning Girl

@salonga (27775)

• Philippines

5 Feb 16

I alwayss see that kind of pest in your photo in my lemon trees. i'm using gloves to take them out of the leaves. i can't touch them with my bare hands. Grasshopper and ants are also the pests that frequent my garden and like you, I need extra time in my garden to get rid of them.

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sofs

@sofssu (23662)

•

5 Feb 16

@salonga I did not bother to go and get my gloves.. I just ripped the leaves off and collected them in a can to be disposed off later in an open area. It takes so much time to get these pests off the lemon bushes doesn't it. I do have grasshoppers and ants here too. I spray diluted dish wash liquid to get rid of them.

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Morning Girl

@salonga (27775)

• Philippines

5 Feb 16

@sofssu it takes so much time indeed. i am also using soap to get rid of them, also vinegar and borax to get rid of ants.

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sofs

@sofssu (23662)

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6 Feb 16

@salonga Borax works really well for ants.. have spread border or borax around my containers to prevent ants from getting in.

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celticeagle

@celticeagle (166976)

• Boise, Idaho

5 Feb 16

He is handsome isn't he? I read years back that ceyenne pepper in water will get rid of aphids. I wonder if this would help in the egg stage.

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celticeagle

@celticeagle (166976)

• Boise, Idaho

6 Feb 16

@sofssu ....Oh, darn. Well, hope you find one that does.

sofs

@sofssu (23662)

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6 Feb 16

@celticeagle I read that online and tried it too but it doesn't seem to help though.. He is handsome alright.. but too handsome for my citrus plants.

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rebel_woman06

@SIMPLYD (90722)

• Philippines

5 Feb 16

I actually don't want to enlarge it because worms like snakes scare me really . I guess that's one reason why i don't like gardening . So how do you get rid of the caterpillar ?

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rebel_woman06

@SIMPLYD (90722)

• Philippines

7 Feb 16

@sofssu Yes, it is only a picture but it gives me goosebumps .

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sofs

@sofssu (23662)

•

6 Feb 16

@SIMPLYD LOl its just a picture sweetie.. won't harm you. I know some people who are disgusted totally by these critters.

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Jekca

@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

6 Feb 16

I love caterpillers

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sofs

@sofssu (23662)

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6 Feb 16

@Jessicalynnt How much? enough to play with them?

Or let them eat your precious plants.

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Jekca

@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

6 Feb 16

@sofssu play with, and relocate out of my plants to plants in the field nearby lol

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Jekca

@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

6 Feb 16

@Susan2015 I don't in texas either, but then again, I don't go looking anymore really either

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bonnie

@bunnybon7 (50973)

• Holiday, Florida

5 Feb 16

i used to dig worms and hunt night crawlers in my younger days. but now don't think i would like it. maybe use gloves?

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sofs

@sofssu (23662)

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5 Feb 16

@bunnybon7 I used to be like you when I was young.. now I use gloves or get them off without having to touch them.

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Anna

@LadyDuck (471541)

• Switzerland

5 Feb 16

They are surely beautiful, but I also remove them from the leaves and throw them in the wild fields. I do not like to kill animals, but I do not want them in my garden.

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sofs

@sofssu (23662)

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6 Feb 16

@LadyDuck Same here I hate killing them.. I just took them into the open fields yesterday.. There is a lot of milk weed there for them to feed on.

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susan

@sueznewz2 (10409)

• Alicante, Spain

5 Feb 16

Great photo...I know they're pests but I like to see them....

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sofs

@sofssu (23662)

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6 Feb 16

@sueznewz2 I like to see them too but not on my plants though

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (340019)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Feb 16

On such a small, unloved creature, such beautiful markings seem a bit of a waste. Some of Vince's friends have macro lens and turn up with the most amazing photos of insects' eyes, etc.

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sofs

@sofssu (23662)

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6 Feb 16

@JudyEv Mactro photgraphy is something I love doing.. These critters are best seen under those lenses. I hate them on my plants though.

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