worms eating petunia's - Ask Extension
need help with identifying these worms and recommendation(s) on how to prevent or manage them next year.
Knowledgebase
worms eating petunia's #775617
Asked October 17, 2021, 5:29 PM EDT
need help with identifying these worms and recommendation(s) on how to prevent or manage them next year.
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Believe it not, the Petunia Budworm is the caterpillar that feeds on petunias. This insect goes by several aliases, depending upon which plant's buds, flowers, and leaves it eats, namely the Geranium Budworm and the Tobacco Budworm. (Then, too, its scientific name is Heliothis virescens.)
Two different management methods are successful:
1. Daily search-and-destroy missions: Look for missing tissue, then inspect both the upper and lower surfaces of the damaged leaf/flower. Depending upon the caterpillar's age, size may range from 0.25 to 1.5 inches. Dispatch by crushing it; cutting it in half, dropping it into soapy water; or feeding it to the chickens. (Gloves seriously reduce the ick-factor!)
2. Apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), sold under various brand names by local garden centers. Spray the entire plant according to label directions, repeating as needed. The good news is that Bt is safe for people, their pets and other animals, the environment, and insects other than caterpillars -- including bees.
Two different management methods are successful:
1. Daily search-and-destroy missions: Look for missing tissue, then inspect both the upper and lower surfaces of the damaged leaf/flower. Depending upon the caterpillar's age, size may range from 0.25 to 1.5 inches. Dispatch by crushing it; cutting it in half, dropping it into soapy water; or feeding it to the chickens. (Gloves seriously reduce the ick-factor!)
2. Apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), sold under various brand names by local garden centers. Spray the entire plant according to label directions, repeating as needed. The good news is that Bt is safe for people, their pets and other animals, the environment, and insects other than caterpillars -- including bees.
