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Caterpillars are the larvae of insects in the order Lepidoptera, which includes butterflies and moths. In the first phase of its life cycle, the butterfly or moth lays its eggs on the plant and in a few days the caterpillar is born, characterized by a strong appetite and the need to feed continuously in order to develop and become a new butterfly. It is this voracious and aggressive appetite that gives rise to one of the most frequent problems that we find in plants and crops, which can cause, in the event of a plague, such serious damage that they determine the total loss of the crop.
There are a large number of chemicals used to protect plantations, however, these can be potentially toxic to humans and produce harmful effects on our health. In Green Ecologist we explain how to remove caterpillars naturally, effective, without side effects and being respectful with the environment.
How to spot caterpillars on plants
Detect the presence of caterpillars on plants The garden or garden is relatively simple, firstly because of its size and colors and secondly because of the visibility and evidence of the symptoms that they produce in vegetables.
Some of the symptoms of caterpillars on plants that can be noticed more easily are galleries, defoliation, holes and bites in the superficial leaves, although they can also attack and feed on young shoots and fruits. In addition, you will see a collection of black dots on the leaves, which are actually caterpillar feces.
If your plants have bites, holes and black spots, or other of these signs, keep observing these plants well because you will easily end up seeing the caterpillars, whether they are green and small or with more colors and somewhat larger in size.
How to eliminate caterpillars naturally with ecological pesticides
Make a pesticide or household pesticide, without chemicals, that ensures the health of plants and does not generate toxic waste is relatively simple, knowing the properties of some plants and other natural products. These are ecological pesticides that we recommend for remove caterpillars from plants naturally:
- Garlic: It is a natural repellent for insects. It is enough to crush a head of garlic together with a couple of glasses of water and let it rest to get an effective insecticide. Although, it is true that, to facilitate its application, it should be mixed again, once it has been left to rest, with three liters of water, to obtain a more liquid and easy-spraying product. In this other article we show you more recipes for natural insecticides for plants, including garlic.
- Tomato: During its metabolism, the tomato plant produces molecules called alkaloids that act as an excellent repellent to drive away aphids, worms and caterpillars. To prepare the pesticide, it consists of crushing or chopping the leaves of this plant and mixing them with water, letting the mixture settle. As in the case of garlic, it is convenient to dilute the mixture again to make it easier to use.
- Cilantro: Also known as Chinese parsley, coriander is a plant native to Asia, which has multiple properties, being used for digestive problems, infections caused by fungi and bacteria, some pain and of course, to repel the most annoying species from our gardens and orchards. . For its application it is necessary to boil the plant for about 10 minutes, strain the mixture and spread it with a spray.
- Nettle: It is a plant considered "weed" because it grows easily in fields and gardens and because it causes stinging and inflammation in the skin, when contact with it occurs, due to the release of an acidic substance located in its hairs. However, it is also known for its medicinal properties and for being an excellent pesticide, so that, by mixing 100 grams of nettle with 10 liters of water and letting it rest, you obtain a perfect pesticide.
- Tobacco: the tobacco plant has an alkaloid called nicotine that acts as a repellent against pests, so that by mixing about 60 grams of natural tobacco with 1 liter of water we can obtain an excellent pesticide.
- Eggshells: There are other natural products of animal origin, such as eggshells, which, in addition to being a perfect repellent, have multiple benefits for plants, acting as a fertilizer rich in calcium carbonate. Its application consists of crushing the peels and spreading them at the base of the plants.
In this other Green Ecologist article we explain more about how to combat pests in organic farming.
Prevent and eliminate caterpillars on plants with natural balance
Another effective, natural and respectful method with the environment and with our plantations consists, precisely, in promote the biodiversity of species and their balance so that, by planting allied crops or favoring the existence of certain natural predators, you can combat the appearance of pests such as caterpillars.
This is the case of plants such as, for example, basil, calendula, mint and sage, which have such strong odors that caterpillars and other insects do not usually stand, thus acting as a perfect repellent. Simply place some of these plants around crops where you have ever detected caterpillars.
Also, another way to biological pest control, is to use certain natural predators, since there are some that feed on caterpillars such as Parasitoid wasps, predatory wasps, beetles, frogs, toads, and birds. In this way, by favoring their presence in the habitat, through techniques such as the installation of nesting boxes for some birds, or the maintenance of humidity and ponds for frogs and toads, we can guarantee the health and safety of our plants in the long term. .
If you want to read more articles similar to How to remove caterpillars naturally, we recommend that you enter our Garden Care category.
