Plant problems · Pests · Flowering · Act today
Caterpillars and bud worms
What you see
- Holes eaten in leaves
- Small black or green droppings on leaves
- A brown, rotting spot inside a bud where a caterpillar is feeding
Why it happens
Moths lay eggs on outdoor plants; the larvae eat leaves and bore into buds, which then rot.
What to do
- Check buds by hand and remove caterpillars
- Cut out any brown spot in a bud with a margin around it
- Spray Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk) in veg and early flower; it targets caterpillars only
Next time
- Use insect netting outdoors
- Spray Btk preventively before flower
Easy to confuse with
- Bud rot (botrytis): A bud has brown, dry or slimy parts inside
Not sure?
Take a photo of the damaged bud or leaf, close up and ask the Grow Doctor, or send it to the grow companion on Telegram.