Hi Peggy,
I have dubbed the summer of 2001 the "year of the caterpillar" at the Arboretum. We had caterpillars of all species
and sizes munching away in our gardens. Some turned into lovely butterflies so I didn't want to kill the caterpillars. Others
were small but very numerous, stripping foliage and even killing some plants. Each year seems to bring a unique complex of
pests. I don't expect to see so many caterpillars in the summer of 2002, it will probably be beetles instead or ??. That is
the fun of it! Hand pick or use B.t. (Dipel) on caterpillars. Don't use a systemic because you may not have the problem.
Just wait and see. But "see" is the key word, scout diligently so you see them before they eat all the leaves! You
are right in mentioning that some insects have only one generation and others repeat their attack, so keep on watching.
Jody Fetzer
IPM Coordinator
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
3675 Arboretum Drive
P.O. Box 39
Chanhassen, MN 55317
phone (952) 443-1423
jody@arboretum.umn.edu
>>> Peggy Fairbourne <peggy.fairbourne@juno.com> 12/30/01 11:29PM >>>
Can someone counsel me about my malva? I have a half dozen very nice
malva growing in my formal garden. This past summer we saw tiny
caterpillars on them and hand-picked them off each plant. I thought I
had outsmarted the critters, as the plants perked up and looked good the
week prior to the pond tour in which we were participating. Two days
before the tour they became infested and the leaves were not only
windowpaned, but the caterpillars had coccooned inside the rolled up
leaves. I cut off the worst leaves and the plants stopped blooming.
This year I am considering a systemic to keep the plants in bloom
throughout the summer. The caterpillars do not become big, showy
butterflies, but I still hate to kill them unnecessarily. Are there any
other options?
Peggy Fairbourne
Hennepin County Master Gardener
peggy.fairbourne@juno.com
(763) 475-3285
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