skip to main content

Florida Gardening

What is this worm like insect eating my plant?

10 years ago

Hi everyone -

First of all - hope everyone is preparing for the storm! We used this weekend as an opportunity to test the generator, make sure we have emergency supplies, etc.

Onto gardening. Yesterday, my papaya plant was healthy. Today, all the leaves were gone. It's a young plant, and I thought it was strange the winds were that strong in the storm last night. I went to investigate, and found 2 green critters on the plant! They are 3-4 inches. all green with the exception of a brown spot on the head, and there is a pointy spike near it's tail. The bottom of the worm / caterpillar is similar to suction cups, and i had to really scratch them off from my plant (with a stick!). When they were on the dirt, they're pretty fiesty, as the movie below shows. I have plenty of other pictures if additional pics desired, please let me know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3OqL3NwpkY&feature=plcp

I appreciate any help you can provide in identifying these guys- i want to protect my other 8 fruit trees!

Thank you in advance,

Cory

Featured Answer

wisconsitom

7 years ago

Having the "bug guy" come and spray the whole yard indiscriminately is the beginning of an out-of-balance yard, where otherwise harmless insects, mites, etc. can overwhelm things. A very bad practice, in so many ways.

+oM

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

subtrop
10 years ago
Hi there, I did have a Alope Sphinx Caterpillar on my papaya a while ago. It looks like yours, but yours is green. I do believe they are almost the same and can get quite huge! Dispose of them, they are too hungry for small trees or seedlings and will chew them all up.
CoryMiamiBeach
Original Author
10 years ago
That is it!!! Thank you so much. I took the two off, but it's amazing how quickly they damaged the plant. I have my bug guy coming to spray the yard again after Isaac has left, and I'll be sure to keep a keen eye on the papaya. I was glad to read that they are almost always found on papayas, so my other 8 trees are (cross your fingers) in the clear.

I have had such trouble with papaya here. This is my second try after my first one was overcome with spider mites.

Thank you again for the quick response!
Related Discussions
what's eating my broccoli (besides the cabbage worms)
Q
Comments (3)
I know how to stop that critter! I have a large veggie garden that is critter free! how? My husband put up an electric fence around the whole garden. It is only about a foot high. There are three strands of wire. The bottom wire is an inch from the ground, the second one an inch from the bottom wire, and then an inch to the top wire. No animal can climb up or dig under without touching the wire. And once they hit it, that is the last time they will come near your garden. Now for deer. Yes, they can step over the wire, and that is where one of the Scarecrow Water Sprayer comes in. Buy one of those, and your garden will be deer and bird free. Now if I can only figure out how to electricute bugs.
...See More
what's this little green worm eating my cucumber plants?
Q
Comments (1)
Little green worm isn't much help, but here's some info Here is a link that might be useful: Cuke pests
...See More
ID? orange-yellow segmented worm-like insect
Q
Comments (4)
Maybe a pencil lead is a little off, but mine are definitely thinner than most of the pictures I've seen -- perhaps they aren't getting enough to eat. I don't think I've seen any damage either. I'll just keep killing them when they turn up and keep any eye out for problems.
...See More
Help! I found a worm like insect in my plant. Should I be worried
Q
Comments (1)
Its hard to see in the dirt, if you could take another picture of it and re-post over in the houseplant forum you'll get alot of advice..
...See More
kayjones
10 years ago
LOL, Cory - that caterpillar looks like he could whip you - great video! The spider mites are taking my Papaya - wish they were as visible as your pest - then, I could get rid of them.
alys_esmond USDA 5b Toronto
10 years ago
eeks!
that guy has some gumption!

reminds me of the tomato caterpillar infestation in my tomato patch up north. I could see the poop on the ground from the window... 100ft away! As I was going down the line of plants knocking off the critters and skewering them with a tent peg the other beasties were getting ready for me, rearing up as I approached! Maybe the ones I was killing were screaming?
slopfrog
10 years ago
I've actually had tomato or tobacco hornworms on my papayas also. I throw them in the pond and laugh maniacally as the bream tear them to pieces.
meglit2007
7 years ago
i see this is an old post but wanted to comment that soap & water can easily take care of these critters.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Great Golden Digger Wasp: A Beneficial Flower-Visiting Insect

By Pollination Press LLC

Introducing the great golden digger wasp, a colorful pollinator that also hunts foliage-eating insects

GARDENING GUIDES Houzz TV: Make a Worm Bin for Rich Soil and Happy Plants

By Annie Thornton

A worm-powered compost bin that can fit under a sink turns food scraps into a powerful amendment for your garden. Here’s how to make one

GARDENING GUIDES Organic Matters: Thwart Insect Pests With Trap Crops

By Therese Ciesinski

Add a few sacrificial plants to your garden to lure insects away from the harvest

GARDENING GUIDES This Fly Is One of the Most Beneficial Insects Around

By Pollination Press LLC

Meet the syrphid fly, a colorful pollinator that also beats chemicals for controlling aphids and other garden pests

GARDENING GUIDES Invite Mining Bees to Your Garden by Planting Their Favorite Plants

By Pollination Press LLC

Look for mining bees (Andrena) pollinating woodland wildflowers in U.S. gardens this spring

NATIVE PLANTS Plant These Fall-Flowering Natives in Early Summer for Pollinator Love

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

These 3 groups of plants will support masses of beneficial insects come autumn

GARDENING GUIDES Attract Thynnid Wasps With Summer-Flowering Native Plants

By Pollination Press LLC

These beneficial insects will hunt damaging beetle grubs in your lawn

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Help Monarchs and Other Butterflies by Planting Common Milkweed

By Pollination Press LLC

Summer-blooming Asclepias syriaca is an important larval host plant for the monarch butterfly and attracts a number of pollinating insects

GARDENING GUIDES Small Carpenter Bees Are Looking for a Home in Your Plant Stems

By Pollination Press LLC

Provide flowers and nesting sites in your garden for this beautiful, tiny, metallic blue wild bee — your plants will thank you

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Smooth Aster, the Wonder Pollinator

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

An insect nirvana with lovely near-blue petals, this low-maintenance aster strives to please

Sponsored

Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath

77 Reviews

Award Winning Kitchen & Bath Design Team | 11x Best of Houzz

More Discussions

February: Your flowers that appear this month

42

Watermelon Question: more than one plant together?

1

Croton stems full of white stuff - how to treat?

7

Clivia Potted...

6

Staghorn Fern removal question

0