Bugs in the garden 🙁 Caterpillars

Right... I kinda found my answer lol.

http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-oil-insecticide.html

SO what does everyone else use for a veggie garden?

Try making garlic spray.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/garlic-spray-garden-pests-22908.html

Boil hot peppers and garlic until mushy, throw in some oil and liquid dish soap, strain it, add water to make the amount you want, pour into a spray bottle. Spray plants.

If making your own rellents/pesticide with detergent, remember most detergents can be very harsh and burn the leaves, especially if too much is added, sprayed during the heat of day/in bright sunshine so buy some Dr. Bonner's Castile soap in the bottle (pepermint) from Health Food store by Pueblo and use that instead of harsher detergents. It's great to use for you, too.

Here's another link that also has a list of what plants work well with each other and some other more natural ways to get rid of pests:
http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/natural-pest-control-remedies.html

If they are the little green Caterpillar use Bacillus thuringiensis, available in most hardware stores...Hd doesnt sell it...a naturally occurring bacteria that you spray on. Organic insect soap works for white flys, I spray the underside of the leaves let sit for a while and wash off. Do this stuff when it isn't full sun

Thanks everyone. The Neem doesnt seem to be doing much but im gonna give it some time. I decided to thin the lettuce today and make a couple big salads. Man it was GOOOD - sans caterpillars lol. I washed it all really good first but HEY they have to share. Will try the garlic spray and go from there.

Wow a girl who not only is unafraid of bugs, she doesn't mind eating them either.

we have Caterpillars that eat everything on the false frangipanis, they are black and yellow and big. they eat all flowers and leaves.

Wow a girl who not only is unafraid of bugs, she doesn't mind eating them either.

LOL!! Well I washed the leaves carefully but I'm sure I missed a few. I guess I can consider the caterpillars organic protein?? 😉 The salads were soooo good but the neem doesn't seem to be working. Just did another dose but gonna try some of the other things listed here.

Speedy check my recent photos www.adrianpoe.com I have a few pics of the frangipani caterpillars. They are so beautiful but yea huge and I can imagine destructive!

My grandmother would spray coffee on her plants and veggies. It worked, but this was in Washington state to. So buggies in the iles may like coffee. Worth a shot in the dark though.

isles*

I am using the Organicide 3-n-1 from HD. Not only have I been bug free, but it seems to have cured the black scale that was killing the bushes. Well, at least the ones that were not already stone dead. lol Smells like dead fish, but that goes away after a few hours. So far I have been very happy with the results.

Thanks!!

I am using the Organicide 3-n-1 from HD. Not only have I been bug free, but it seems to have cured the black scale that was killing the bushes. Well, at least the ones that were not already stone dead. lol Smells like dead fish, but that goes away after a few hours. So far I have been very happy with the results.

Didnt see it @ HD, went yesterday to look.... are you in STT? I will check Bryans Plants too.

AandA, those are the buggers all right. i leave them alone. after they eat they are gone for awhile and the leaves come back

by the way, you are a fabulous photographer

thanks!!

I am using the Organicide 3-n-1 from HD. Not only have I been bug free, but it seems to have cured the black scale that was killing the bushes. Well, at least the ones that were not already stone dead. lol Smells like dead fish, but that goes away after a few hours. So far I have been very happy with the results.

Didnt see it @ HD, went yesterday to look.... are you in STT? I will check Bryans Plants too.

I checked HD and they do have it on both islands. Here's the link...........and it's in stock......

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/catalog/servlet/Search?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&keyword=Organicide&Ns=None&Ntpr=1&Ntpc=1&selectedCatgry=Search+All

Cool thanks, will look again.

The Caterpillar's that eat the frangipani leaves turn into Monarch butterflies, I believe.
My frangipani trees are bare right now too, but they'll come back once the caterpillar season is over and the butterflies are in the air, pollinating the flowers.

No they are not Monarch butterflies. They turn into giant sphinx moths.

Yes, you are right! That's the caterpillar for the pseudosphynx moth Pseudosphynx tetrio. The caterpillar and plumeria (frangipani) have a relationship: although the caterpillar strips all the leaves, it provides nutrients back to the tree, and in exchange, the tree gives the caterpillar its toxic defense mechanism. The leaves are full of an alkaloid that is toxic to most organisms but the caterpillar stores it in its tissues, making the caterpillar poisonous to eat! The moth is yellowish and giant and lives for a very short time, but also pollinates stuff, including the plumeria.

Damn these caterpillars! Neem didnt do squat. taking it back. Went out last night to pick some cilantro for salsa and there's like huge ones out only at night on the cabbage. And NOW thier eating my cilantro - this means war. Nobody eats my cilantro but us! 😉

Try making the garlic spray and see if that helps.
I sometimes buy EcoSMART organic insect spray from HD, especially when the mealy bugs, white flies and spider mites overwhelm me.
Works quite well and says it can be used for caterpillars but hate to kill them since they turn into moths and butterflies which help pollinate plants and trees.