Caterpillar Munching on tree

[gfreak]

Hey y'all, noticed this guy on my Powderpuff today when i got home from work along with what looks like a few munch marks along that branch.

I THINK i have it identified as a bronzed cutworm caterpillar

I've already gotten rid of the guy from my plants, and didn't see anymore on any others. But is there something else I should be doing to prevent guys like this other than just keeping an eye out? Is seeing them a symptom of a larger problem that I don't know about?

Appreciate it! (Ignore the dead elm in the corner, it's been dead on my balcony for quite a while i just haven't disposed of it yet lol.)

 

[Shibui]

The adult moths can fly and lay eggs wherever they find a suitable food source so it is hard to prevent caterpillars. I don't know anything that will prevent caterpillars altogether. It appears you only have the 1 so that's not cause for concern.
Keeping a closer look out would be my approach.
The alternative would be to spray a pesticide every few weeks. I'm definitely not in favour of indiscriminate use of toxic chemicals just in case.

 

[rockm]

Hey y'all, noticed this guy on my Powderpuff today when i got home from work along with what looks like a few munch marks along that branch.

I THINK i have it identified as a bronzed cutworm caterpillar

I've already gotten rid of the guy from my plants, and didn't see anymore on any others. But is there something else I should be doing to prevent guys like this other than just keeping an eye out? Is seeing them a symptom of a larger problem that I don't know about?

Appreciate it! (Ignore the dead elm in the corner, it's been dead on my balcony for quite a while i just haven't disposed of it yet lol.)

Caterpillars are a pain, but they're preventable. Systemics can help, but they can take a while to work. I've found the best way is to hunt them down and pick them off. You have to be attentive to chewed foliage. If you see one leaf chewed down to the veins or completely to the stem, don't wait for additional damage. Get out and go over the tree in detail, look along branches and twigs for weird looking "bark" or movement. Can take effort and a bit of time, but you can mostly find them. Unless you have a severe infestation, there are likely only a couple to a few (or even one), particularly on smaller trees.

 

[gfreak]

Awesome, appreciate the info y'all!

Yea i'd rather stay away from chemicals where i can. I've been pretty lucky, and haven't had any bug pests at all these last 2 years. (that might be partly due to the plants being on a 3rd store balcony though)

 

[namnhi]

While we're on this topic.... Will the tent caterpillar problem go away on its own or spraying needed to get rid of them. This is the first year I see this many trees got them. I have one tree that has them but I have found quite a few loners on my bonsai. How do one get rid of them?

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

While we're on this topic.... Will the tent caterpillar problem go away on its own or spraying needed to get rid of them. This is the first year I see this many trees got them. I have one tree that has them but I have found quite a few loners on my bonsai. How do one get rid of them?

I used to get those in a Eastern Redbud landscape tree, they would come back every year, until I finally eradicated them.

 

[namnhi]

I used to get those in a Eastern Redbud landscape tree, they would come back every year, until I finally eradicated them.

How did you get rid of them?

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I'd physically remove them, knock the "nest" down and toss them in a bucket of soapy water or the fire pit a few times. Not a sit around and enjoy the fire type of pit, the one I use to burn leaves and limbs.