I thought my lettuce was moving!

[RogueRose]

I was cleaning some leaves and thought my lettuce was moving as it was floating there. Nope, it's just this little guy:

[img]https://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh302/jeauthomas/From%20Cell/IMG_20120524_202634.jpg[/img]

Now..............what is it and do I want to kill it? I haven't noticed any holes in my lettuces really.

[applestar]

Looks like a syrphid fly larva. You must have -- had -- aphids.

[RogueRose]

Looks like a syrphid fly larva. You must have -- had -- aphids.

Hmm....I didn't notice any aphids on anything. So I guess this little thing is okay? I haven't noticed anymore.

There's been a lot of ladybugs here...just no BEES!

[applestar]

The little guy (nd his sibs) may have been eating all the aphids.

[rainbowgardener]

There's been a lot of ladybugs here...just no BEES!

see Applestar's post here about no honeybees:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=258428#258428

[RogueRose]

There's been a lot of ladybugs here...just no BEES!

see Applestar's post here about no honeybees:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=258428#258428

Thanks, I seen it already and commented on it!

[RogueRose]

Okay I'm pretty sure that this bugger and his friends are eating my lettuce. I put out some lemon tops (used) and I didn't catch any slugs. But I have noticed one or two ore of these. What can I do to get rid of them?

Also - There's a brown version of these that I have found on my peppers. I took them and squashed them. There was one in each pepper pot. I took a pic of these but my phone is currently dead so I can't upload for a bit.

Would like these caterpillars GONE

[RogueRose]

Ok, resurrect the phone. Here's the brownie caterpillar all chubby on my pepper plants:

[img]https://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh302/jeauthomas/From%20Cell/IMG_20120527_183915-1.jpg[/img]

[Kisal]

It's kinda hard to tell with it all curled up like that, but it could be an army worm. They come in green, brown, and IIRC, black. Unless you get another pic when it straightens out, so the various stripes can be seen, it will remain difficult for me to offer a definite ID. Someone else may be able to, though.

[applestar]

When I see fat curled ones like that, I tend to think cutworms. Not all of them stay in the ground and lop down seedlings. Some like to climb up and eat leaves and even pepper and tomato fruits.

I've been finding more than usual this year when I dig or turn over debris.

[RogueRose]

Well I found 2 down in the soil camoflauged. I imagine they go down there when its hot then move up when it's cold. I smushed the and they're green on the inside. Does that help?

These were on hot peppers. I didn't find any on my bell peppers.