Help! Green worm thing.

Rob J 6/21/2013, 8:24 pm

Does anyone know what this green worm is and how to get it out of the garden? These things are decimating my cabbage and brussel sprouts.

Help! Green worm thing. 9102680161

Rob J 6/21/2013, 8:26 pm

Okay, hopefully the picture will come through this time.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dastrdly/9102680161/

**camprn** 6/21/2013, 9:16 pm

My guess is probably a cabbage worm. I haven't got a flicker account so I cannot see your photo.
Does it look like this?
http://www.almanac.com/content/cabbageworms <~~click
Help! Green worm thing. Cabworm2

Rob J 6/21/2013, 9:31 pm

Yes! That's it. How do I get rid of them?

**camprn** 6/21/2013, 9:37 pm

Rob J wrote:Yes! That's it. How do I get rid of them?

squish them, use a net as a barrier to prevent the eggs from being laid on the plants. Bt. Click the link for more information. Do not use sevin if you can help it, because it will kill everything else in your garden too. With all insecticides read and follow all label instructions.

littlejo 6/21/2013, 9:39 pm

Sorry, cannot see the photo, do not have a flicker account. You might just describe the worm and the damage it's doing.
I can only imagine, but my best guess is it's a cabbage worm. You can use BT, add a sm. amt of dish soap to make it easier to wet the leaves.
Here is a link to look into.
Jo
http://www.ehow.com/how_8094254_control-worms-brussel-sprouts.html

southern gardener 6/21/2013, 9:42 pm

those pretty white butterflies (cabbage moths) are laying the eggs that turn into the caterpillars you're seeing. If you can cover your plants with tulle or something, it'll help keep them from laying the eggs. Smashing them and BT is a pretty good control until then. Good luck, they eat LOTS don't they??

**sanderson** 6/22/2013, 1:05 am

Make sure the tulle does NOT touch the plants (cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, collard, bok choy, etc.). I laid tulle over my cabbage and thought I outsmarted the butterfly. But I think she laid eggs where the plant touched the tulle because, one day, my cabbage was swarming the green worms and filled with their droppings. Yuck. And I loved that cabbage. I should have taken a pic of what NOT to do.

FamilyGardening 6/22/2013, 1:12 am

+1..... on what sanderson said Smile

the same thing happen to us last fall....the tulle was touching our tall Brussel sprouts and sure enough both the cabbage worm and aphids got into our crops.....yuck!

happy gardening
rose

**camprn** 6/22/2013, 6:52 am

I actually have had success with wrapping the plants individually with tulle and having the fabric touch the plants. The adult moths can squirm under the edges of draped tulle so you still will have to monitor the situation regularly.

Lemonie 6/22/2013, 1:34 pm

I never got around to getting my tulle this season but have kept up w/ squishing the eggs daily and the moths when I can catch them. I've missed a few, so am now out handpicking the buggers as I find them and dropping them in a cup of soapy water. You can also use DE and I've heard flour mixed w/ red pepper and shaking it on the plant works but have not tried it myself.

quiltbea 6/22/2013, 8:16 pm

Tulle has tiny openings in the netting that's why I use light-weight insect barrier instead. Rain and 90% of the sunshine can penetrate, but not insects and their eggs.
Help! Green worm thing. 06-04-15

**sanderson** 7/8/2013, 12:56 pm

My new high-tech gadget for eliminating the white butterflies as they search for BS, cabbage and broc, which I had to pull out due to earlier green worms. Don't have any brassicas at the moment but they love my cat's catnip plant.
Help! Green worm thing. 100_6111

quiltbea 7/8/2013, 1:25 pm

If you have grandkids, get them little bug nets so they can go on safari in your garden to catch the white fluttering moths. That should keep both you and the grkids happy.

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