Knowing how to get rid of caterpillars is something that you should know. Someday, they will infest your house or garden. You need to take good care of it carefully!
A lot of people are interested in starting some sort of hobby, including gardening. A lot of gardeners fill their yards with all kinds of plants, fruits, and vegetables.
To ensure successful growth while preserving the health of your crops, it’s important to monitor your plant constantly while the season progresses. One issue you may come across is pests such as caterpillars that can attack flowers and fruits.
Caterpillars are insects larvae similar to butterflies and moths. These pests survive on the leaves of different types of plants, but their favorite food is the leaves or the flowers.
These pests generally attack young leaves, since if they are older, they are more resistant to damage. Caterpillars are characterized by damage to the leaves, which appear as wrinkles on leaf surfaces, along with leaf rolling or the presence of bite marks that make the plant virtually defenseless.
Wondering how to get rid of caterpillars? Have trouble with caterpillars damaging your plants? Never fear! I’ve got just the solution for you! Keep reading!
Contents
Why do caterpillars come to your house?
1. Food
Caterpillars come to your house because your home is full of desirable food sources. They’re nourished by citrus fruits and flowers and can be found in corners with fresh leaves and fruits such as passion fruit and guava.
Caterpillars are the larval form of moths and butterflies. They eat a lot as they mature until they pupate, or transform into a butterfly or moth. The reason that caterpillars come to your house is that your home probably has a lot of food sources for caterpillars, such as fruit and flowers
2. High humidity
Caterpillars will go to areas that have high humidity. Humidity is caused when the air becomes saturated with water and is usually seen after a rain or in tropical climates.
Caterpillars usually migrate to this area because they usually seek shelter in trees and plant matter. These trees and plant material usually collect rainwater because of their dense foliage, so caterpillars and moths often migrate to this area in search of cover.
3. Natural selection doesn’t work
Natural selection means that the fittest will survive. In the case of caterpillars, they are specially adapted to feed off specific plants. For this reason, natural selection does not work in the environment where the caterpillars are bred.
This is because domesticated poultry is not found in these domesticated poultry farms. Thus caterpillars in these environments will thrive because at least in the short term they have an abundant food source in their environment which is free of predation.
How to get rid of caterpillars
1. Take by hand and burn
One of the best ways to remove caterpillars is to take each of them separately with your hands and burn them in one place. This way you can dispose them of safely.
Do not forget to wear gloves while doing this, because they will bite and sting you otherwise. It is a good idea to hold a garbage bag underneath the plant in a plastic container or something that collects the caterpillars as you take them out one by one.
Some caterpillars have a toxin in their skin that can be harmful to you so be careful when doing this.
2 Re-arrange your ornamental plants
Ornamental plants are a very interesting addition to any home. Decorating your home with flowers and other ornamental plants can have a big impact, and it can even help save money because these plants might need far less care than your basic greenery.
However, ornamental plants may attract pests, including caterpillars. They may damage your ornamental plants and even your home.
So what can you do? Place them outdoors away from human reach. This way, the caterpillars will have no choice but to go off in search of sustenance.
3. Soap water
You can use soap water to kill off the pesky caterpillars that seem to be spreading through your garden. To do this, you need to take soap and water and mix them until the mixture is about as thick as butter.
Then using a sprayer, spray the mixture directly onto the caterpillar. However, make sure you don’t spray it on the leaves or your plant. After spraying it, you should watch for a few days to make sure that it doesn’t come back.
4. Keep poultry
Keeping poultry is a great idea if you want to keep insects out of your garden. It’s a good idea to keep a few chickens in your backyard. The reason is that they eat a lot of insects, bugs, and caterpillars, which reduces the chances of infestations.
Also, birds are a natural enemy of moths and caterpillars, so keeping some birds around will naturally limit the number of pests that appear. It’s also incredibly beneficial to buy young chicks (or ducklings) and raise them yourself.
Just make sure they have enough space to hunt the caterpillars and hang their feed in a good location.
5. Chili spray
Chilis are known for being hot. They are so hot, they are used to spice up food. And they are not only effective on humans but insects too. You can use them on caterpillars to kill them easily.
You can make a caterpillar spray with fresh chilies. To make the spray, finely chop the chilies and put them in a glass jar. Then, crush six cloves of garlic and add them to the jar. Mix in one tablespoon of vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of dish soap with two cups of water and pour the mixture into the jar. Close the jar with a lid and let it sit outside in direct sunlight for one day.
To use the chili solution, place the mixture in a spray bottle. Spray the caterpillar thoroughly to kill it.
6. Use vinegar
Vinegar is acidic, so it won’t affect any of our natural belongings. Many people use vinegar to get rid of caterpillars. They simply mix vinegar with cups of water, pour it into a bottle, and spray the mixture on the caterpillars. It serves as a natural pesticide, and it’s completely safe for both children and pets. The natural scent of vinegar will repel the caterpillars and they’ll leave the area.
7. Pepper spray
You can use pepper spray to get rid of bugs, including caterpillars. Mix one part pepper spray with two parts water, spray it to the area where the caterpillars are often seen, and watch as the caterpillars die and shriveled. Repeat this process once a week until all of them are gone.
8. Use insecticide
Insecticides are used to kill insects, such as caterpillars. There are many different types of insecticides available. Some insecticides contain chemicals that affect the nervous system, and some work by damaging an insect’s covering and sucking out their insides, like a vacuum.
When handling chemical insecticides, remember to wear a mask and gloves so that you don’t breathe in the fumes. Keep children and pets away from the area where the poison has been sprayed.
9. Call a professional pest control
Caterpillars are not always easy to get rid of. They can infest crops preventing harvest, chewing on window frames causing damage, or eating holes in clothing. If caterpillars are uncontrollable, you may want to hire a professional pest controller.
Professional pest controllers know the best methods of getting them under control without harming the environment around them. They know how to remove this pest quickly and efficiently.
Conclusion
If you want to know how to get rid of caterpillars, follow these tips:
1. Take by hand and burn
2 Re-arrange your ornamental plants
3. Soap water
4. Keep poultry
5. Chili spray
6. Use vinegar
7. Pepper spray
8. Use insecticide
9. Call a professional pest control
If you want to build low maintenance vegetable garden or front yard vegetable garden, you need to do these safety steps to make your garden grow gracefully!
