Everything was fine yesterday but today one branch of my multi-specie Pluot was all but stripped of leaves (the others had nothing)
Critters are just over an inch with stripes from front to back, over all they are greenish/grayish.
Plucked them and sprayed with a orange based organic soap.
Hope I got them all, but are they likely to attack my cherry tree? And what might they be and what's the best way to deal with them
If it helps I'm zone 9 or 10 and the weather is finally changing
Any chance of a photograph? So far it isn't clear if you have grubs, beetles, grasshoppers or any other leaf eater.
D
I don't have a digital camera, but they were caterpillars
Were there 'tents' on the tree?
If so, look up tent caterpillar.
In numbers, they can strip trees bare.
We usually knock the tents apart before they get too far along.
no tents, no "fur" and slightly different coloring
If I had noticed them, I would have done that
thanks
Are you anywhere near botanical gardens or a tertiary institute where they teach horticulture? If you take some grubs in a jar they may identify them for you as a public service.
D
yeh, I could do that. Problem is all of the critters were disposed of and (thankfully) no new ones have appeared. next time I'll take them somewhere.
thanks
Next time take them to your county extension office.
Do a Google search for "fall army worm" . I've had them in my blueberries. They can strip a branch in hours.
Check out this site.
Rodale's "Color Handbook of Garden Insects" is a handy reference.
If he is the USA.
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that I am. should have said so originally
that's very close, but I am unwilling to categorically say that's what they are. The stripes look a little wrong and the color is a little off, but pretty close
but then I'm getting old and getting cataracts. lol
His original post said zone 9 or10. I have never seen posters from other countries specify zones.
Such systems exist in other countries. I am a 9b but I don't advertise.
Canada...
I've mentioned it several times over the years and ours is the same as the USA's.
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