I've seen 3-4 of these red head caterpillar things. Mostly on my garlic and one on my cucumber. This is my first year gardening and I'm very upset that they are killing my plants. What are they and how do I get rid of them? I've been picking them off and squishing them but I took this one inside to get a picture. Here he is on a garlic leaf that you can see he's been gorging himself on. Thanks in advance.
[img]https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x346/KitschSlapped/bug2.png[/img]
[img]https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x346/KitschSlapped/bug3.png[/img]
[img]https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x346/KitschSlapped/bug1.png[/img]
- Wallflower
- Full Member
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 12:23 pm
- Wallflower
- Full Member
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 12:23 pm
Here are some close up pictures to hopefully show more detail of it.
[img]https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x346/KitschSlapped/closeup1.png[/img]
[img]https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x346/KitschSlapped/closeup3.png[/img]
[img]https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x346/KitschSlapped/closeup2.png[/img]
[img]https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x346/KitschSlapped/closeup1.png[/img]
[img]https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x346/KitschSlapped/closeup3.png[/img]
[img]https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x346/KitschSlapped/closeup2.png[/img]
- rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
How about the striped garden caterpillar:
https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Caterpillars
Trichordestra legitima
Here's more:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/30010
Trichordestra legitima larvae feed on a wide variety of woody and herbaceous plants, including asparagus, aster, bean, broomrape, cherry, clover, dogbane, goldenrod, grasses, milkweed, mustard, pea, raspberry, tobacco, violet, willow, yarrow
It looks like it is in the same subfamily with cutworms, so not a good guy.
Hand picking is as good as anything for getting rid of them.
https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Caterpillars
Trichordestra legitima
Here's more:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/30010
Trichordestra legitima larvae feed on a wide variety of woody and herbaceous plants, including asparagus, aster, bean, broomrape, cherry, clover, dogbane, goldenrod, grasses, milkweed, mustard, pea, raspberry, tobacco, violet, willow, yarrow
It looks like it is in the same subfamily with cutworms, so not a good guy.
Hand picking is as good as anything for getting rid of them.
- Wallflower
- Full Member
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 12:23 pm
Thank you very much! That's it! I will continue handpicking. I hope they don't destroy too much since everything I have has just barely started growingrainbowgardener wrote:How about the striped garden caterpillar:
https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Caterpillars
Trichordestra legitima
Here's more:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/30010
Trichordestra legitima larvae feed on a wide variety of woody and herbaceous plants, including asparagus, aster, bean, broomrape, cherry, clover, dogbane, goldenrod, grasses, milkweed, mustard, pea, raspberry, tobacco, violet, willow, yarrow
It looks like it is in the same subfamily with cutworms, so not a good guy.
Hand picking is as good as anything for getting rid of them.

Thanks again!
Return to “Wildlife - Gardening with Local Critters in Mind”