Caterpillars and Loopers

Marijuana Horticulture

by Jorge Cervantes

Caterpillars and loopers leave plenty of droppings on the plant. The droppings accumulate in between buds. Droppings fall out when the buds are hung to dry; inspect below the hung buds to find the poop droppings.

Identify

From half inch to four inches, caterpillars and loopers are cylindrical with feet, ften green, but can be virtually any color from white to black. Caterpillars have sets of feet the entire length of the body, while loopers have two sets f feet at either end of the body. Loopers place their front feet forward, arch their body upward in the middle, and pull their rear sets of legs forward. Some have stripes, spots, and other designs that provide camouflage. Seldom a problem indoors, caterpillars and loopers are in a life stage – between a larva and a flying moth or butterfly – and are most common when prevalent outdoors. One way to check for caterpillars and loopers is to spray one plant with pyrethrum aerosol spray and shake the plant afterward. The spray has a quick knockout effect, and most caterpillars will fall from the plant.

Damage

These munching critters chew and eat pieces of foliage and leave telltale bites in leaves. Some caterpillars will roll themselves inside leaves. An infestation of caterpillars or leafhoppers will damage foliage and slow growth, eventually defoliating, stunting, and killing a plant.

Cultural and physical control

Manually remove.

Biological

Trichogramma wasps, spined soldier bug (Podisus maculiventris Podibug).

Sprays

Homemade spray / repellent, hot pepper and garlic. Bt, pyrethrum, and rotenone.