Caterpillars
Hungry caterpillars can cause a lot of damage to your precious plants. Your best defense is to scout your landscape on a regular basis. Look over your plants carefully a couple of times a week. If you see chewing damage, try to find the critter responsible. It's probably a caterpillar. Source: Gardening in a Minute, Caterpillars on Ornamentals
Caterpillars are the larval stage of insects in the order Lepidoptera, which includes butterflies and moths.
Narrower Topics
Related Topics: Arthropod Pests, Caterpillars, Lawn and Garden Care: Pest Management
Related Topics: Biting and Stinging Organisms, Caterpillars
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Related IFAS Blog Posts
The summer of stinging caterpillars
Ralph MitchellJuly 17th, 2024Summer is in full blast, and I wanted to reissue some information on the topic of stinging caterpillars. When you think of caterpillars, you think of worm-like leaf-eaters that are generally harmless to humans. Caterpillars may be hairless, fuzzy like a wooly bear or even tufted with hair – almost inviting you to touch them. […]
Caterpillars of North America: Easily Identify 90 Common Butterflies and Moths
Rolando NegronMay 28th, 2024Step into the world of caterpillars with Caterpillars of North America: Easily Identify 90 Common Butterflies and Moths, authored by acclaimed entomologist Dr. Jaret C. Daniels, UF Professor of Entomology and Director of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the Florida Museum of Natural History. While butterflies and moths often steal the spotlight, […]
Caterpillars that wreck your lawn
Christine JacksonMay 9th, 2024Warm weather means that turf is currently in active growth. So is the hatching of caterpillars. Armyworms and Sod Webworms. Each of them causes damage to turf and ornamental plants. Armyworms: These worms can be found year-round in central Florida and feed 24/7, 365 in packs or a small army, hints the name. They […]
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