I'm told that everyone is having a problem with caterpillars this year in my
area. There are tent caterpillars and a bunch of others. They're all over
my neighbor's baby fruit trees and seem to be coming over to my lot for
dessert. They've munched most of the new growth off of my expensive new
chinoides rhododendrons.

What's the best approach to dealing with them? I've seen people talking
about a bacillus, but didn't see it at the garden center.

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes,
hba1c 5.4.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm

From: "Jenny"


What's the best approach to dealing with them? I've seen people talking
about a bacillus, but didn't see it at the garden center.

Some commercially available Bt varieties and target pests:

Bacillus thuringiensis
var. tenebrionis - Colorado potato beetle and elm leaf beetle larvae
var. kurstaki - caterpillars
var. israelensis - mosquito, black fly, and fungus gnat larvae
var. aizawai - wax moth larvae and various caterpillars, especially the
diamondback moth caterpillar
Some commercial products may mix varieties or contain additional varieties.
Check the label.

Marketed under various trade names such as Biobit®, Dipel®, Javelin®, etc.

Jenny wrote:

I'm told that everyone is having a problem with caterpillars this year in my
area. There are tent caterpillars and a bunch of others. They're all over
my neighbor's baby fruit trees and seem to be coming over to my lot for
dessert. They've munched most of the new growth off of my expensive new
chinoides rhododendrons.

What's the best approach to dealing with them? I've seen people talking
about a bacillus, but didn't see it at the garden center.

The tent caterpillars will not do permanent damage to the trees.

I have never seen tent caterpillars attack my rhododendrons.

--
Travis in Shoreline Washington