User avatar
Francis Barnswallow
Green Thumb
Posts: 696
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 7:28 pm
Location: Orlando

Help ID'ing this pest

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v700/obiadia/DSCN0006.jpg[/img]

Sorry for the poor pic, it was at night and I have no clue how to use my new camera. With that said, I've been seeing more and more of these guys on my pepper plants this year. They wreak havoc on my peppers if I don't catch them. They tend to come out at night and are dark brown, about 2 inches in length and about 1/3 of an inch wide. Any ideas what this pest is?

User avatar
kimbledawn
Senior Member
Posts: 225
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:18 am
Location: Memphis

It looks like a climbing cutworm.

https://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/entomology/entupdates/Lawn_Ornmntl/variegated_ctwrm.htm

https://www.virginiafruit.ento.vt.edu/cutworms.html

User avatar
Francis Barnswallow
Green Thumb
Posts: 696
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 7:28 pm
Location: Orlando

I think you got it right. Thank you!!

gumbo2176
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3065
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:01 am
Location: New Orleans

I've had these very pests in my garden and they sure can wreak havoc on your plants in hardly no time at all. They aren't as voracious as the tomato horn worm, but then again, they are not as large as them either.

They somehow got into a hanging potted Spider Plant on my second story back porch and within 2 nights just about ate the thing down to the roots.

User avatar
Francis Barnswallow
Green Thumb
Posts: 696
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 7:28 pm
Location: Orlando

I've killed 3 of these pests so far this season. There's probably 3 more of them I haven't caught yet. They're having a field day on my peppers.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I have heard (but not tried) that wrapping tanglefoot tape or duct tape with sticky side out on the plant stem should trap them as they try to climb the stem in the night. Good luck.

User avatar
Francis Barnswallow
Green Thumb
Posts: 696
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 7:28 pm
Location: Orlando

Interesting, I'll try that out.

User avatar
Meatburner
Senior Member
Posts: 163
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 2:00 pm
Location: SW MO zone 6b

Do you think BT would work on that critter?



Return to “Vegetable Gardening Forum”