Ipomoea Batatas Caterpillar Damage
By Janet Bayers, eHow Contributor
updated: February 10, 2011
Ipomoea batatas is the botanical Latin name for the vine that produces edible sweet potatoes, as well as the name for the annual ornamental vine used in hanging baskets and containers. The ornamental vine comes in black, chartreuse, bronze and variegated varieties, and while it sometimes produces small tubers, it has been bred to put all its energy into leaf formation.
- Cabbage loopers, cabbage worms and cutworms are common pests of Ipomoea. Cabbage loopers and worms are narrow, bright-green caterpillars, about ½ to 1 inch long. They are the larvae of the cabbage moth. Cutworms are the caterpillars of many species of moths. They are plump, smooth caterpillars about 1 1/2 inches long. They can be gray, cream, brown, and have spots or stripes. Their distinctive characteristic is that they curl into a "C" shape when disturbed.
- Cabbage caterpillars chew holes in the center of a leaf. If you see cabbage moths, which are small, and white or brown, it's likely you will find cabbage caterpillars on the undersides of plant leaves. Cutworms take larger, irregular chunks out of leaf edges and they cut down new seedlings at the base. They eat at night and retreat into the soil during the day, so you can find them by digging a bit in the soil at the base of the plant.
- Expecting pests is the first step to controlling them. Check your plants every few days for evidence of caterpillars. If you cover your entire crop with floating row cover in spring and early summer, you can prevent moths from laying eggs on the plants. Encouraging birds to make your garden their home by gardening organically and providing shelter, food and water, goes a long way in preventing caterpillar damage.
- Bacillus thuringiensis is a naturally occurring bacteria that infects and kills insects. It is a useful control for caterpillars when sprayed on the leaves of plants because it does not kill beneficial insects. Sunlight breaks down Bt, so it needs to be reapplied every few days until the caterpillar infestation is gone.
0 comments:
Post a Comment