Content:
- Caterpillars, and Their Pestilent Behaviors
- Why Traps are the Best Way to Catch Caterpillars
- How to Make a Caterpillar Trap
- Conclusion
Animals and insects that feed where they are not invited and cause damage in the process are known as pests. Quite a number of this population often make their way into human communities, where they cause damage in and around our homes.
Of course, you can often resist them from entering your homes, but there’s often much less you can do about your lawns and gardens. Several pests are known for attacking plants in our gardens, but not many are as notorious as the caterpillar.
If you have a garden that you love and cherish, the chances are that you have already drawn a battle line against these tiny creatures. This is often because they don’t care how precious your garden is; all they are after is the sweet saps your flowers have to offer.
These saps are the nutrients in plants, and it doesn’t take too much imagination to figure out what happens once they are done with your plants. Some of them go as far as chewing on the leaves of plants and even biting off their stems.
The bottom line is that these creatures are bad news for your garden, and it’s no wonder garden owners never like them around. However, getting rid of them is not an easy task as you have to consider the safety of your garden. Many people resort to trapping them instead, which has proven pretty effective. This article will show you how to make a caterpillar trap and some other outstanding methods to rid your garden of these crawlers.
Caterpillars, and Their Pestilent Behaviors
Caterpillars are commonly called larva because they are the larval stage of insects in the Lepidoptera order. Common examples of these insects are butterflies and moths, and the larvae of some flies are also called caterpillars.
These insects are more notorious pests when they are caterpillars because all they do during this period is eat, and you can guess what their favorite meal is. Here’s a hint; it is sappy and gotten from your garden.
They have eruciform body shapes, and they are good crawlers, which explains how they get up and down your plants so effortlessly. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and won’t leave your garden until they have had their fill of it, which is never.
There are many species of insect larvae, and they all exhibit similar pestilent behaviors.
Why Traps are the Best Way to Catch Caterpillars
It is instinctive to go for the best insecticides and pesticides in stores once you find unwanted insects around your home. But these chemicals are highly concentrated and are often not ideal for your garden. This is because they can adversely affect crops and damage your garden or lawns.
This is why many people often opt for more natural methods of eliminating these pests from their properties. Traps are among the most effective for catching tiny crawlers like caterpillars, and they do not have any side effects or affect your garden in any way. They are also eco-friendly, unlike insect-killing chemicals that can pollute the air.
How to Make A Caterpillar Trap
Many types of traps can be used against these annoying insects, and most of them are very potent. Here are the steps to making two of the most effective caterpillar traps.
Trap 1: The Burlap Band Trap
Caterpillars are often attracted to larger and healthier plants or trees. They will often make their way up the plant at night to feed and down during the day to hide from birds. This is an excellent opportunity to catch them using the burlap trap.
This trap is pretty easy to make and does not require many ingredients. Ideally, you only need a layer of burlap, sticky bands, and a string.
Steps
- Identify a large plant or tree where caterpillars converge
- Cut out a layer of burlap, enough to ho round the tree or plant
- Place the burlap around the plant’s stem, and place a sticky band around it.
- Tie the string around the sticky band to make it firm and prevent the caterpillars from passing under the burlap
- Check your trap every evening to remove the caterpillars and insects caught.
Trap 2: The Duct Tape Barrier
This trap is similar to the burlap band trap, and it also takes advantage of the caterpillar behavior that sees them crawl up and down larger plants. However, the duct tape barrier can also be used on smaller plants, in contrast to the other trap, which is only convenient for trees.
Here, all you need is duct tape and a sticky, waterproof material like petroleum jelly.
Steps
- Identify plants with a higher concentration of larvae.
- Apply the sticky material around the plant, ensuring it covers the plant’s width.
- Place the duct tape around the area with the sticky material (shiny side out), and ensure it is tight enough to prevent the insects from crawling under it.
- Inspect the trap every evening to rid it of the trapped insects.
These traps are very effective for caterpillars, and they do not require many materials to prepare. You can also pick out these pests from your garden the old-fashioned way. You need a plastic jar of warm water mixed with soda and a pair of hand gloves for protection.
With the hand gloves on, you can pick out these caterpillars from your plant’s leaves and put them in the warm water to drown.
Conclusion
When pests get into your garden, they often do not waste any time before destroying the fruits of your labor.
Caterpillars are among the worst breed of garden pests, and their size does not prevent them from causing havoc to your crops. It is never a pleasant experience when this happens, and it is often up to you to reclaim your garden from these invaders.
Are you having a caterpillar problem in your garden? A trap may be the best way to get them off your property, and this article has highlighted the steps involved in making the best caterpillar traps.
