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What on EARTH is this THING eating my rose!!??!

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I just came across this horrifying WORM eating my just-about-to-open blossom from my New Zealand rose. (Would have been a nice one too). Can anyone tell me what on earth this monstrosity is? I thought it was a dead cane and was looking for my pruners when I realized it was alive. (It still got the pruners!!!)

I STILL have the heebie jeebies.

Comments (18)

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
8 years ago
Oh my gosh, it looks exactly like a cane! I'm glad we don't have those here.
bethnorcal9
8 years ago
Eeeeeww! Where's Baldo?? He'd know what it is!
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sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
My ds says it is a type of geometer moth caterpillar.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/534955
ozmelodye
8 years ago
We call them stick caterpillars here and they develop into moths. They belong to the family Geometridae.
Jasminerose, California, USDA 9b/Sunset 18
8 years ago
That's incredible. I wonder how big the moth will be?
cadiarose
8 years ago
Glad I don't have them here! At least, I think I don't....
jjpeace (zone 5b Canada)
8 years ago
Interesting creature. I feel sorry for your rose but the thing does look like a twig or cane. Amazing!
SoFL Rose z10
Original Author
8 years ago
I looked exactly like a dead cane. I remember thinking 'how did I not see this dead cane before?' I went to get the pruners. The thing was 3 inches long. I'm still a little creeped out. Had it been eating any other plant I may have let it live (just to not have to go near it). But it ate my rose so it had to die!
Prettypetals_GA_7-8
8 years ago
Good gravy that thing is crazy looking. It's amazing how it looks just

like a dead cane. Crazy!!
Verdi Guy
8 years ago
O mon Dieu! I had to look five minutes to find the worm! LOL I've never seen anything like this! Yuck. It is almost as bad as the Lubbers/giant four inch grasshoppers that we have here in the Orlando area. The first time I saw one of those creepy things I nearly freaked. Now they are true monsters, which can only be destroyed by physical means as they are resistant to sprays,
and the animals and birds leave them alone as they are poisonous.
Florida is filled with creepy-crawlers. LOL

Jack
rosecanadian
8 years ago
Ewwwwww!!!!!!

I've never seen anything like that! I, too, didn't see the bug at first. Yuck - die, bug, die!!!!

Carol
User
8 years ago
Caterpillars are masters of disguise,IMO. I've seen ones like that pictured here, that look EXACTLY like a twig.Another kind,greenish-white, curled up to look the same as a leaf...
cleangeek
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Ahhh he was just admiring your roses. : )

That caterpillar had perfect camouflage for predators but not good enough for a rosarian with pruners, I would of freaked out too if I saw one of those things.
Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
8 years ago
We have them here. We call them walking sticks! He deserved your pruners!
michaelg
8 years ago
Do an images search for "geometrid moth." The adults are amazingly beautiful and the larvae creepily fascinating.
ozmelodye
8 years ago
Another name is looper caterpillar for the way they move. Their camouflage IS great. A green form wiped out a whole mint patch overnight,leaving only the stalks and it took me forever to find what had done the damage and remove them.
vp_78
8 years ago
Wow, I just googled geometrid moths and they really are beautiful! I saw a caterpillar that was bright neon blue and yellow -- wild!!!
jayferg
8 years ago
Holy heck is that some good camouflage!

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