Bad timing, look at the post below, camps will be polarizing....Cats can always be problematic here in Florida, BT is much safer....

Tom, are you braced for WAR??? Hahahaha. Seriously, I love my cats and would probably never find any reason to kill them. BUT, I do understand that not everyone feels that way.

I'm not likely to go to battle over caterpillar rights, but I am always happy to point out reasons NOT to kill them, for those interested. It depends on what you want out of your garden, I guess. Me, I love the butterflies and moths, so the cats have free reign, and so far, they've never done enough damage to be upsetting.

I'd be more concerned about dumping chemicals into my ground water and my well, really. You have to always be aware that with the way chemicals percolate through our sandy soil, you could end up drinking anything you put down.
Sevin cocktail, anyone? Eeek. If I wanted to kill cats, I'd try handpicking first, and also companion plantings and things to discourage them, I think.

Not meaning to start ANY Caterpillar Wars. Just my own personal views. Different strokes, an' all o' that.

Marcia

And I agree with Tom...BT is by far a safer way to go. Nothing harmful to mess up the ground water with that one.

Marcia

Insecticidal soap is also highly effective against soft bodies pests like caterpillars as well as being safe for the environment and for humans . Much better alternative than Ortho Insect Killer and Sevin and not expensive . Try both suggestions .

Well Marcia, I honestly did hesitate before responding, even held my breath for a few seconds before posting ;-)

Oh, gosh, Tom...I try not to get "ugly" about anything much, unless someone cops a nasty attitude. And I sure understand that one man's beautiful flying flower is another man's dreaded pest. With a few exceptions...notably the topics of exotics that have no business here anyway, and I can NOT defend sparing...I'm not likely to bite anyone's head off over a difference of opinion. I prefer to try to gently persuade those who seem willing that there are alternatives to automatically killing everything that slinks or slithers.

But if someone is raising food for their table, I do understand they want to protect their crops. I just hate to see chemicals used in that way when BT, or insecticidal soap (thanks, gatormom) is a better choice.

Anyway, it's just my personal preference, and while I prefer a live and let live approach, it's not for everyone. I might WISH it were, but wishes don't make it so.

Now when the butterflies, bees, and other pollinators continue to decline, I might plead the cause a bit more stridently.

Marcia

You're welcome Marcia .
I also grow peppers and have many that have been enjoyed as a meal by caterpillars .
Yesterday I found small caterpillars inside okra pods .
I plant enough plants that some loss is tolerable .
Watching two dozen butterflies play among the flowers yesterday , was worth losing a few bites from leaves and fruit of vegetables .

All season I haven't worried about insects. I really haven't had any since I went to upside down container gardening. The peppers I was referring to. is under the buckets in the ground. For years I grew peppers and never saw what I saw. And believe me, using chemicals of sort was not my intention. I haven't used anything in many years. As far as good insects, yes. Bee's, butterflies and lady bugs and so on is what I hoped for. Were I live a honey bee is rare. And I am happy to see any insect. But, these caterpillars I am refering to is very destructive. I seen them strip all the foliage from all the trees up north, it looked like acid rain. I was raised to get rid of of them the best way we could. They're gypsy moths. Do the have a reason to live? Yes. Are they put here for a reason? Probably. But if there is mass manifestation then some people would think yes they should be stopped, or at least controlled. Now as far as having another method of dealing with them, I wasn't aware of a certain soap that was mentioned here. And I do apologize for the offensive nature that I stirred here. Food for thought also. Fol-age is what helps produce our 02. And filters the co2's in our atmosphere. So Other than all the effects of greenhouse gases and our environment, I would like to be educated on effectively dealing with a weivel of sort. So, please tell me an effective way to control un-wanted, destructive insects. And to deal with the fact of not having plentiful bugs and other beneficial insects that we may not have in our back yards. I have a garden and not a farm. And I do not want to leave a chemical foot print in my yard.

Gizzy, I don't think anyone was offended by your post. We all have our different ideas of the way we want to garden, and sometimes we can offer alternative suggestions that might work for you. But if not, then that's okay, too, within reason.

Since there are no butterflies without caterpillars, I have learned to appreciate them and treasure them, but as I said above, that doesn't mean I don't understand the desire to protect certain plants. Especially food you are raising for your table.

Your posts are well within the spectrum of things discussed here, and you will probably always get a wide assortment of responses. Especially on a topic where some folks feel protective and others not so much so. Most of the time, there is no ONE way to handle these problems. So you have a chance on this forum to see how others handle things, and then you can make up your own mind.

I didn't know gypsy moths would eat peppers, but then again, there's a LOT I don't know, and I'm always glad to learn more. Yes, a very heavy infestation of highly destructive caterpillars is a problem that might have to be dealt with in a different way. Maybe next time, you can try the soap spray or the BT (which is a bacteria that restricts itself to the caterpillars and is very non-harmful to other living things.) If you try it, and it doesn't work, then you might have no choice but to go to Plan B.

Anyway, my response was not meant to be critical of your post at all. I was really laughing at Tom for thinking a war might break out. (But don't get me started on Cuban treefrogs...I really DO pull out the big guns for those steenkin' things! Full Rambo mode!) *grin*

Good luck with your problem. I hope the treatment you used will work, and if you have an infestation again, maybe you can start with soap spray or BT first to see if it will do the trick in a friendlier way.

Marcia

Hey Grizzy, this is my fault and I apologize. I was poking fun at the fact that the two diametrically opposed posts showed up at the same time but now I'm sorry I mentioned it in your post. We're all friends here and really wouldn't intentionally harm each other....I do use BT and I've always said the cats can have the front yard but the backyard, where the veggies are, is off limits.

Tom

Being a recent transplant from the north, and very familiar with Gypsy Moth caterpillars, I just want to share somethng I only learned myself recently. I agree that the tents are unsightly, and often when the caterpillars hatch it can look like they've stripped a tree of all it's foliage and killed it, but they really are doing little harm. The caterpillars hatch in the fall and feed when the tree is already starting to shut down for the winter. Those leaves they are eating would soon be on the ground anyway. You'd probably notice a lot more birds in the area of infestations, though, as they're trying to fatten up for their long trip south. I probably should be posting this in the "Northern Gardening Forum!"

One good way to check on a wise plan of action is to post here first .
Second - look on the website - solutionsforyourlife.com .

Here is a good example :

I knew something was munching on a shrub that is a meaningful plant for me - given to me by a dear friend . I suspected it was a hornworm but couldn't find it . I don't spray unless I actually see the offender first . Today I found the caterpillar and was about to smush it until I noticed exactly what it was I was seeing . ( Sorry - The best I can do is the photo on this link - check it out ).

After learning the real story , I will not be spraying . More wasps please ! Now , this is not to say that you should not ever spray . Just identify the culprit first , find the most effective solution and proceed carefully . Often what worked or lived up north , does not function in Florida . You're in a whole 'nother ballpark now ! And - absolutely no offense taken at either of your posts . Welcome to Florida gardening - a real challenge awaits you .

Here is a link that might be useful: Hymenopterous wasp pupae

It works for here, too, echobelly. And birds do feast on them. Especially yellow-billed cuckoos, who love them. So I reckon they do have a purpose, and their damage is only temporary, mostly. But unsightly, to be sure.

Marcia

Folks. I appreciate all of the responses from all of you. And I am glad I found this forum. And all I have read and thanks to you all. Now I have better methods of dealing with certain pests. Yes up North is much different than up there. But, I wouldn't want to be in a better place. I love it here and been coming here all my life. Anyhow, I been experimenting here growing veggies the past 10 years. And a lot I have done is very challenging. Tomatoes is one of the biggest I have had. The hook worm got me last year and found only one so far. Since I have been growing tomatoes upside down this year has been a god-send to us. I've had to do a few things here and there, but nothing I didn't learn for this season.Anyhow. Thanks to you all and I'm looking forward to reading and learning things as I go.