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worm eating blooms

18 years ago

Hi, I'm fairly new to salvias and have noticed a problem with a little worm eating the buds of my coccinea and my farinacea. I get bracts, little webs and black specks, but few flowers. The guaranticas, may night, and the farinacea Victoria seem to be okay.

Question...what is this critter? And is this likely to be an ongoing problem I get every year and will have to spray for? Or is this just one of those years?

Thanks!

Comments (3)

cait1
18 years ago
Have no idea but you can try spraying with pyrethrum - I use that to rid all nasty critters. I do check for benefial insects first, though; no need to knock them out, too.
Cait
karen__w z7 NC
18 years ago
I get moth caterpillars on several of my salvias this time of year, mainly on the S. greggii/S. microphylla cultivars and S. puberala, although I noticed a few on S. melissodora last week. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) works well. If I spray once when I notice the first damage I find that I don't have any more trouble the rest of the season.
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Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
18 years ago
I had huge Noctuid caterpillars snarfing my prized Salvia praeclara I had nurtured from a seed, I picked them off and gave them the old Virginia Tech bug stompers treatment. Grrr.

Joseph

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