Back when I used to have orange trees, we'd get these ugly caterpillars that looked like bird poop and would stick out these ugly red "antennae" when alarmed. They'd chomp holes in a fair number of leaves, and the neighbor, who couldn't stand a less-than-perfect leaf and wouldn't put up with any living creature in his yard, sprayed like crazy. His yard was "perfect"--and perfectly sterile. We left those ugly caterpillars alone, the orange trees survived just fine, and we really enjoyed our gorgeous eastern swallowtail butterflies. Another plus about identifying your caterpillars--if they're eating something you don't want them to eat, you might be able to plant something they'll like even better keep your butterflies.

There are two schools of thought about whether certain insects should be in, or on, compost or not. Many, in the past, apparently mistook the Black Soldier Fly for the Black Soldier Beetle, a beneficial insect and a predator of some of the bad ones. They are not the same insect. For the larva of the Black Soldier Fly to hatch and grow there needs to be certain temperature and moisture conditions, and the moisture levels are too high for good composting. The adult Black Soldier Fly has one mission in life, to mate and lay the eggs that become the larva that become the adults. They do nothing else and the adults only live about 30 days. In reality neither the larva nor the adults serve any real purpose.

It's a bit late for this solution but I sowed borage seeds last fall because it's said the plant repels hornworms. So far so good in my garden but all my tomato plants are done now. Peppers are going strong but the borage is history in the heat so I'm not sure how that's going to work. Maybe I should sow a fresh crop of borage. Duh! They have been a serious problem for me as well and I've done LOTS of research. Most solutions I found recommended 1) row covers to keep the moth from laying her eggs; 2) picking them off when you see them; or 3) get chickens. Last summer my garden was so infected with these buggers that I just started watching for the poop [evidence!!] and damage to the branches. I cannot touch them like you or my hubby can.....I would just go screaming like a girl for hubby. That got old....fast. If I saw damage beginning I would get a small plastic container, like a qt yogurt container, my snippers and just snip the bugger into the container. Dumped in the alley for the birds. Good luck!

Eastern tent caterpillars are active now - see the latest UMass Landscape Message (May 11, 2007). Claire Here is a link that might be useful: UMass Landscape Message May 11, 2007