CLOSED: Caterpillar on Scabiosa / ID help please

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cedar18 Lula, GA(Zone 7b) Jun 11, 2009

Is this friend or foe? I just saw one; on Scabiosa 'Ace of Spades'. He was very smooth, snake like.

Thanks

Post #6673035

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Jun 11, 2009

this caterpillar is in the family Noctuidae, which includes many destructive species such as armyworms and cutworms. This one could be a yellow-striped armyworm, Spodoptera ornithogalli - see http://tinyurl.com/nzqkml for an image.

Post #6674476

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cactustom San Antonio, TX Jun 11, 2009

Hi Folks, This is an Army Worm laid by a very large grayish, green moth. I Googled it last year and found out what it was. I caught one and put it in a jar and with leaves and such and sure enough, about 2-3 months later, it emerged - same as the moth that I killed. They call them Army worms because once they get started, they will march & eat and ruin your plants. I killed 2 yesterday on my zinnias in my cactus garden (in San Antonio, TX). Beautiful, but very, very destructive!!

Post #6674878

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cedar18 Lula, GA(Zone 7b) Jun 11, 2009

Thank you so much. I am afraid he's got to go.....

Post #6675191

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cactustom San Antonio, TX Jun 12, 2009

Hi cedar18. About 1 hour prior to this posting, I saw the beautiful (but deadly) moth (see attached photo) that lays the eggs that eventually turns into Army worms. He was almost 2" long and his wing spread about the same. He (or she) was getting ready to infest my polk-a-dot prickly pear cactus... I shot a picture of it, and then I shot it with a good does of RAID!!! I know, all you organic types probably don't agree, but it works fast and sure doesn't hurt the plant