Have you noticed any invaders in the garden soil? Then you may be worried about whether these are pests that can harm your plants or whether the critters are harmless. Of course, in order to determine this, you first have to identify what it is. We will try to introduce you to the cutworm and give you tips on how you can fight caterpillars in the ground in an environmentally friendly way.
Cutworms or larvae?
If, despite proper care, your plants appear weaker and sicker and you don't notice anything unusual with the leaves, the problem is probably not visible in the soil and in the root area. To find out if this is the case, you will have no choice but to dig the ground a little. Of course, you should proceed carefully so as not to injure the roots (further).
If you discover white caterpillars in the soil, they are actually beetle larvae. They look like maggots, only larger, so they are fleshy and thick, with legs on the front part. The larvae can come from different beetles and are not always harmful. However, since you have already identified problems with your plant, the probability is quite high that in your case it is a harmful variant that you should take action against. But it's worth identifying them beforehand.You can do anything about grubsread here.
If you discover caterpillars in the soil
If you have actually discovered caterpillars, and more precisely gray caterpillars in the ground (between July and March), they come from the so-called owl butterflies, of which there are different types. At night they are above ground and also consume parts of plants above ground. During the day, to protect themselves from the heat, they then crawl back underground (not the case with all species). Before they migrate into the ground, they hatch from the butterfly's eggs, which it has laid on the plant. At this point they are still very small and white. After they have grown for a few days, they then appear to disappear, but that is not true. The pests overwinter in the soil in order to pupate in the coming year.
Which plants suffer most from caterpillars in the soil?
- potatoes
- Kohl
- Leek
- More
- carrots
- Rote Beth
- Salat
- Saddlery
- Spinach
- Onions
- various other tender young plants
- various ornamental plants
- Spruces
- larches
- Lawn (recognizable in the lawn by the feeding paths; sickle-shaped)
Determine caterpillars:You can also tell that these caterpillars are infested by the fact that they try to pull the above-ground plant parts that you have gnawed off into the ground. For example, if you notice leaves stuck in the ground, you are guaranteed to discover cutworms in the ground.
Fight cutworms
Chemical agents are not allowed and should not be an option for your own garden anyway because they harm the environment. Most likely these would not be effective at all because they are well protected by the earth. But you can use some of nature's helpers to free yourself from the plague. “Nematodes” are the miracle cure. These are natural enemies of the caterpillars in the soil and are also used in the fight against grubs and even other pests such as fungus gnats. And the application couldn't be easier:
Home remedies for caterpillars? Better try nematodes!
Nematodes are roundworms, of which there are also harmful types, but you will use the beneficial types against the pests. These can be purchased commercially and are added to the irrigation water according to the package instructions and then used to water the affected plants. It is important that you stick to the correct temperature and follow the manufacturer's instructions. The nematodes ultimately die themselves and disappear shortly after the cutworms.
You can use this variant to combat caterpillars if you suspect a more severe infestation. Alternatively, you can also do it by hand:
Collect grey-brown caterpillars from the soil
If you don't have a problem picking up the pests, you can easily pick them up (e.g. with gardening gloves). The butterfly caterpillars are usually found in almost every garden, but in small quantities, so this method can be sufficient to combat them. You can try it first before you resort to the nematodes.
More beneficial insectsThat can help you in the fight against caterpillars in the soil are bristly sand wasps, ground beetles, hedgehogs, moles, sparrows and other birds. So try not to push them out of your garden, but rather to attract them.
Prevent caterpillars in the soil through protective measures
Of course, the easiest thing would be to prevent an infestation from occurring in the first place. If you grow plants in the new season that you know are tasty treats for the butterflies and their offspring, protect them from laying eggs during the mating season in spring with the help of so-called climate cloths.
