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Organic Gardening

best way to deal with eggs layed by moths?

13 years ago

Okay, maybe this might belong on the pest forum, but I thought I'd give it a shot here.

I have a moth that is laying eggs like there's no tomorrow.

I haven't seen her, but she's a busy one.

The eggs are layed on mostly upper leaves on my small cypress, spicebush, and even bergamot (bee balm).

The eggs clusters are are brownish white, and I haven't gotten to them all in time. No signs of any bugs, so I guess the larvae drop into the soil or feed on leaves- I don't know.

Anyway, my spicebush is special to me, and she seems to prefer it to anything else.

I tried scraping eggs off...only tore the leaf. I've been checking every morning, removing leaves with egg clusters underneath them.

I thought about putting a row cover over my spicebush ( a short, one year old transplant) at night.

Short of getting a bug zapper, what are my other options?

If I keep removing leaves from spice bush, it won't have any.

Here's the ORGANIC question: can I dip a q-tip in something to remove the egg clusters?

How are moths like this one controlled organically (for me that has come to mean IPM, not purist methods).

I started out thinking I could grow things without a single chemical ever touching anything....but this year opened my eyes.

If anyone is interested, please respond. Thanks!

Comments (4)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
13 years ago
What makes you think that these are moth eggs? Remember, proper identification is a very important step in a good IPM program.
Kimmsr
13 years ago
If what you see are eggs and it they are the eggs of a pest the most effective method of handling the eggs is to squaish them. Keeping in mind that of the some 8,000,000 species of insects only about 8,000 are considered pests, many of the others control the few that are pests and the eggs you think you have may be those of one of the predators and not a pest, so proper identification is imperative.
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novice_2009
Original Author
13 years ago
Well, I'm guessing it's a pest, as these eggs are only laid at night, and are their any beneficials that lay egg clusters at night?
Also seen on leaf undersides : single, clear, hard round eggs here and there.
Two or three rows of flat white eggs.
Like I said, a daytime and evening check reveals nothing, no bugs present except a lady bug eating some of the dirty brown egg clusters.
It is only in the morning I see these different eggs.
Is there a bug that is beneficial that lays eggs at night?
All I know is this poor plant is a host for some nocturnal egg -laying bugs.
Kimmsr
13 years ago
Integrated Pest Management, what should be practiced by everyone not just organic growers, involves some steps beginning with,
1. Identify the problem.
2. Identify the cause of the problem.
3. Using the least toxic means available control the problem, if necessary.
4. Review and return to step 1 if necessary.
So far you have identifed that something might be laying some eggs on a plant but have not yet determined if there is a problem. Is this plant being eaten by the eggs? Is there enough harm to the plant that something must be done? I understand that you are trying to take a proactive approach and possibly prevent a problem, but you may also be doing more harm since those eggs might be a beneficial insect and not a potential pest. Then if these might be a pest they may not do enough harm to warrant spraying something to control them and that control product may well do more harm by killing off any beneficial insects as well as any predators that could be around.
If you cannot determine what is laying those eggs it is best to wait and see what hatches and then decide if they need control.

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