Any suggestions on getting rid of pickle worms?
pickle worms?
Aloha mlassi, what on earth are pickle worms? Dying to know the answer when some of our master gardeners come along! I wonder if I have them???! ^_^
In my past 25 years of biological work in Hawai'i, I have never heard of "pickle worms" and can't find a reference for the term.
Could you please explain. If I knew what you are talking about, I might be able to help.
diaphania nintidalis???
Oh I found it: Info pasted from the Hawaiian Dept Ag invasive pests list:
Pickleworm
[Diaphania nitidalis Cramer]
Description: Pickleworm is a tropical insect and has been found widely dispersed throughout the island. Pickleworm moths are active only at night. They lay tiny eggs singly or in small clusters on buds, flowers, and other actively growing plant parts. Each moth can deposit 300 to 400 eggs. Young larvae are light-colored with many dark spots and are typically found in flower buds. Spotting fades as the caterpillar reaches the final fifth instar stage. Pupation usually occurs outside of fruit, on leaf surfaces and leaf folds. The adult moth is yellow and purplish.
Damage: Young pickleworm caterpillars tend to feed in blossoms, destroying the plants capacity to produce fruit. Caterpillars also tunnel into fruits leaving a distinct circular hole. In some instances, caterpillars will excrete frass outside of the tunnels, which provide additional evidence that the pest is feeding within the fruits.
Hey Jen, can you post the name of the website that you found pickle worms on?
I wonder if these are the tiny critters (worms) that get inside of leaf-buds and eat them from the inside, leaving the new leaves looking awful. The only way I have been able to deal with them is to smash them with my fingers, and keep looking for signs of their presence. They tend to tie new leaves together with silk and eat the growing tip.
Aloha Dave,
http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/pi/ppc.
When you get to that page click on pickleworm which is about half way down in the left hand side colomn. Sorry, I don't have a clue on how to do a link.
From the description I don't believe that I have seen any in the garden - yet. Let us know if that's what you think you have. Didn't see any control info for mlassi, but also haven't had time to do research. I will call the Dept of Ag later on today to see if I can get any info...
Thanks for your help Jen!
Found out a little more from Dept Entomology, Virginia Tech...
Pickleworm
Description:
Yellowish-white, brownish head; with numerous dark spots across segments when young. Older larvae are greenish. Up to 3/4 inch long.
Common host plant(s):
Cucumber, squash, pumpkin, muskmelon, cantaloupe and squash.
Damage:
Feeds on flowers and leaf buds. Tunnels flowers, terminal buds, vines and fruits.
Distribution:
Southeastern part of country as far north as Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas. Winters in southern Florida and Texas; spreads northward late in season.
Lifecycle:
Pickleworms overwinter in warm climates, such as Florida, and migrate north as temperatures rise. Females begin to deposit eggs in midsummer on hairy cucurbit surfaces. Within about three days small pickleworms hatch and begin feeding for a period of two week. Larvae may feed on flowers, vines, and fruit, but their preference is for developing leaf or flower buds. Pupation occurs in cocoons formed inside rolled leaves. Moths emerge in approximately a week.
Cultural Control:
Plant early; very early spring plantings are seldom damaged. Destroy vines, unused fruits, adjoining weeds and trash as soon as crop is harvested. Spading or plowing in early fall will bury pupae. Stems infested with pickleworms can be slit and the borers removed; heap dirt over the injured stem to encourage rooting.
Organic/Biological Control:
No known organic/biological control for pickleworm at this time.
Chemical Control:
Begin treating with a registered insecticide plants at first sign of worms in blossoms and buds; worms must be killed before they enter the fruits.
Notice: Because pesticide labels can change rapidly, you should read the label directions carefully before buying and using any pesticides. Regardless of the information provided here, you should always follow the latest product label when using any pesticide. If you have any doubt, please contact your local Extension agent or pesticide dealer for the latest information on pesticide label changes.
Disclaimer: Commercial products named on this site are for informational purposes only. Virginia Cooperative Extension does not endorse these products and does not intend discrimination against other products which also may be suitable.
thanks! I'm glad no one else seems to have them. They really hit my squash hard.
They do a job on cucurbits, primarily squash, cucumbers, and cantaloupes in the states of the old Confederacy. Did not know that you had them in Hawaii or if it is the same species. You will find considerable discussion in the vegetable forum.
This message was edited Jul 13, 2008 8:38 PM
Well I talked with some folks at church and they have them too. They said they only got them in the past few years so they must be a new introduction here.
They are no longer"Tropical".We just trashed our Zuchinni Plant because of infestation of what I'm sure is the Pickel Worm.---frass on fruit & large stems & dead/dying plant.
We are in zone 5 ,Kingston ,Ontario,Canada.
Whoops! I now believe we have the squash vine borer.Equally destructive & hard to control.
This message was edited Aug 19, 2009 11:03 PM
Whoops! Please disregard my above post.I now believe what we have is the"Squash Vine Borer". Equally destructive and hard to manage.
I have the distinction of having the first recorded case of pickleworms on Maui. Lovely. The way I deal with them (with my cucumbers) is:
*I only plant Tasty Jade (they don't need to be pollinated to set fruit). I remove and destroy the flowers every morning.
*I spray Dipel or other BT product, almost daily.
*I carefully inspect for worms.
They're harder to control on other squashes. A lady in Hilo uses bird netting. Apparently the moths won't go through the net.
I have put 3/4" bird netting in a tent like fashion over my squash and cukes...they grow from a 20gal.container up a hogware fence. The moth cannot get into the netting, but the bees can pollinate. They are nasty those moths...the worms are a scourge!!!!
Carol
(back from the mainland)
Yes...let it climb up or along the hogwire. An experiment. I also have sugarsnap peas and cukes to grow there too!!!!
How interesting!
I will post a photo...
Yes, please do!
Sorry. I was off island and will take photos tomorrow.....
tomorrow is here......
Hint, hint!! lol...
WAAAAY too early, Isaac.
LOL, forgot about time differences....
Yeah Isaac, your last post was dated "March 8, 2010, 03:01 PM" here.
i keep forgetting to set what time zone i am in, and i can't remember what time it actually had been!! i just checked above and its saying it was posted on the 7th, 3am, definitely wrong!!!! lol....
Tropicbreeze, have you checked out the 'other' site?
isaac
We are all in such diverse time zones. I never know what time it is for any of you.
Christi
You folks might want to check your time zone in your "preferences". It seems many got changed during the server migration. Mine did!
My time now is March 9, 11:06 AM.
Let's see what it posts as.
Okay, one minute difference, the time it took to load.
My time zone was all whacked up with the migration too, I was hours off!
Moving right along....here is one side of the fence (outside part) ... the bird mesh goes over the hogwire and down to the bottom.
The top of the area is shade cloth that covers a large area, and a clear plastic 'ceiling' keeping the rain from keeping everything wet.....
Here in inside ... under the tarp. The one pot is empty because I pulled out the squash which was all mildewed....
Darn...I hate it when I do that....
I am told that mixing 1 part milk to 9 parts water, and spraying it will control it.