Unwanted? and What is that?

[KeriFord]

my potatoes have been dying off for a couple weeks now (I planted probably Fed/March). They were just falling over, but still leafy (winkled leafy, but leafy still). Then today, I see this guy crawling around.



I saw 4, but they're not easy to spot. should I try to dig up my potatoes to prevent further damage? or pluck these off? not sure what to do. all that behind him is what's left of my potatoes.

and... no idea what this is. it's in a corner by a strawberry and cucumber plant.



I haven't used any chemicals or anything like that for bugs. I put some 10-10-10 and some Epsom salt in about a week ago. before that I just put some peroxide or baking soda to help with ant control, but that's been probably a month ago.

[applestar]

Tobacco hornworm -- all solanacea -- as well as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants -- will defoliate small plants overnight. Definitely pluck off and dispatch. -- feed to chickens, ducks, fish if available.
EXCEPT if you see white cocoons on their backs -- those are infested with and incubating predatory wasps and you want to let the next generarion hatch for our Garden Patrol. I posted some gruesome photos a while back (search for "so you think you can eat my tomatoes" if interested )

That thing in the corner of your strawberry patch is descriptively called "dog vomit fungus"

[imafan26]

looks like a horn worm. Pluck it off.

https://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05517.html

[KeriFord]

thanks! found 3 and plucked them off.

you had me going with the dog vomit for a bit! I was like...my dogs can't reach my garden! lol

[applestar]

You did understand its fungus right? Slime mold and that's the common name because... Well.. Look at it.

[KeriFord]

You did understand its fungus right? Slime mold and that's the common name because... Well.. Look at it.

Yes I did! I googled before asking further. thanks for checking to be sure!

[amylong]

I was outside looking at how my tomatoes were going and I almost missed that horn caterpiller and once I realized that it was on my plant, I had to get my brother to dispose of it...so.......is there a way to keep them away besides plucking and disposing?? I should be lucky it didn't eat my plants off:(:( This has been an interesting season......slugs, catepillars, fungus....and the good ones like a bee and earthworms...thanks.

[rainbowgardener]

Hornworms frequently fall prey to nonstinging parasitic wasps that use them as hosts for their young. Tiny braconid wasps, less than 1⁄8 inch long, deposit eggs into the caterpillar’s body. The resulting larval wasps feed on the hornworm’s innards until they emerge to spin cocoons and pupate on the outside of the hornworm. If you spot a hornworm with white, ricelike sacs on its back, don't disturb it. The caterpillar has already stopped feeding and will soon die. You can encourage these little beneficial wasps by interplanting tomatoes and other susceptible crops with flowering herbs in the carrot and mint families, such as dill, fennel,* cilantro, basil, sage, oregano, and thyme. Adult parasitic wasps are attracted to their nectar.

Nonparasitized hornworm caterpillars can be controlled by hand-picking and with organic biological pesticides like spinosad and Bacillus thuringiensis (BT).

https://www.organicgardening.com/learn-a ... -hornworms

*Also carrots and parsley, but you need to let some over winter and bloom the next year.

Once you get your eyes trained to spot them, hand picking is easy. Since they rely on camouflage for protection, they hold still.

And do watch for the braconid cocoons - hornworms in my garden usually have them.

[amylong]

I reacted too fast to it that I forgot to look if it had white rice like sacs..but I don't think it did. Would chives help or be harmful??

[amylong]

I went out in the evening to do the milk spray since it has been humid all week and found one more of those nasty catepillars:(. My dad told me that he saw a bug( a bee or wasp I am not sure) poking at it this morning (he almost missed it too) and he almost missed it. that catepillar defoliated a branch on one of my plants. Then I found one on anther one. I am finding them on the tomatos that are in containers...(maybe it has more leaves to cover it??) I guess I am counting my blessings that the ones in the ground are safe...for now...and my peppers too....for now....I am paranoid now..I am thinking after dinner I will go out and double check to make sure..after seeing some of the damage it has done...and reading the stories here...better safe than sorry..and look for slugs while I am at it... I wish they had those eggs hanging off them..then I don't have to kill them....I'm definitely will go get some companion dill or basil to attract those good bugs:)