They destroyed my carrot seedlings, what are they??

lzalvis 8/27/2012, 9:03 pm

A few weeks ago I planted carrot seeds in a new box (8 or 10 inches deep). I was excited when the seedlings became a couple inches tall (all had the 2 seedling leaves and then a newer middle leaf). Yesterday I went out to water the little guys - and 80% of them were GONE!! POOF! I just stared. I blinked. I kept looking around like someone was playing a practical joke on me. Too much sun? Water? Birds? Then I got a closer look, and I picked 3 worm/caterpillar things from the underside of the tiny leaves. They are no more than 1" long, black, with 2 yellow stripes down the back (I think I was successful in posting a picture...)

I don't know what they are, or how they got there. Or if/how I can prevent them? I'm now checking at least twice daily under every leaf of the seedlings I have left. I picked off another one today that is about 1/4" long. I planted more, but am not planning on a massive harvest. More of an experiment, at this point.

They destroyed my carrot seedlings, what are they?? Photo11

They destroyed my carrot seedlings, what are they?? Photo11

cheyannarach 8/27/2012, 9:30 pm

They look kind of like cutworms to me, but I am far from a bug expert, I am sure more expertise will be along shorty...

**walshevak** 8/27/2012, 10:29 pm

I don't know what they are, but BT will kill them.
Kay

Daniel9999 8/27/2012, 11:36 pm

lzalvis wrote:A few weeks ago I planted carrot seeds in a new box (8 or 10 inches deep). I was excited when the seedlings became a couple inches tall (all had the 2 seedling leaves and then a newer middle leaf). Yesterday I went out to water the little guys - and 80% of them were GONE!! POOF! I just stared. I blinked. I kept looking around like someone was playing a practical joke on me. Too much sun? Water? Birds? Then I got a closer look, and I picked 3 worm/caterpillar things from the underside of the tiny leaves. They are no more than 1" long, black, with 2 yellow stripes down the back (I think I was successful in posting a picture...)

I don't know what they are, or how they got there. Or if/how I can prevent them? I'm now checking at least twice daily under every leaf of the seedlings I have left. I picked off another one today that is about 1/4" long. I planted more, but am not planning on a massive harvest. More of an experiment, at this point.

[img][/img]

Cutworms.

lzalvis 8/29/2012, 8:33 am

Cutworms! Thank you for the answer!! naturally I googled it right away to learn more. I continue to go out first thing each morning and at sundown, caught a couple more today.

Now, what is this BT you speak of? I'm not above it....

I read in my searching that you can go buy a couple of carrots with tops still intact, stick them in the garden, and the ruse of lush yummy carrot tops will draw the cutworms to it. ??

**walshevak** 8/29/2012, 6:35 pm

Check out this thread

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t11715-bacillus-thuringiensis-bt

Kay

mrwes40 8/30/2012, 7:16 am

Either stick two or three wooden tooth picks around each seedling, or what I do, is save paper towel roll cores and cut small rings to place around my plants to prevent cutworms from putting their death grip around my plants and choking them off.

Bill

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They destroyed my carrot seedlings, what are they??

They destroyed my carrot seedlings, what are they??

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Re: They destroyed my carrot seedlings, what are they??

Re: They destroyed my carrot seedlings, what are they??

Re: They destroyed my carrot seedlings, what are they??

Re: They destroyed my carrot seedlings, what are they??

Re: They destroyed my carrot seedlings, what are they??

Re: They destroyed my carrot seedlings, what are they??


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