Is this a tiny millipede? My customer thinks they are eating her blossoms - are they just sucking nectar? She wants me to get rid of them. Are they harmless to plants or if not how do you get rid of them? Thanks. We had a very wet spring and summer in Portland Oregon.
I think it's a Caterpillar of some kind, which means they'd be eating the leaves of their host plant. Are the leaves chewed up? What plant are they on?
Do the insects vary in size, and/or are growing? Soft body, or hard? Caterpillars would be soft bodied, and millipedes would be hard bodied.
Best to wait for more opinions though. I'm having trouble telling by this picture. A closer image would help, me at any rate.
This message was edited Oct 12, 2010 9:02 AM
It is on a Lonicera x heckrotti
'Pink Lemonade' vine
about 6' high off the ground.
Foliage not eaten.
If you cannot post a clearer close-up image, I suggest that you take the specimen to your county cooperative extension service office for assistaqnce in identification and any necessary control advice - see http://extension.oregonstate.edu/locations.php for contact information.
