Catepillers eating my walnut tree leaves
So can anyone out there tell me what kind of catepillers these are in the photo above? What kind of moth/butterfly do they turn into when mature?
They appear this time of year and eat as many of my walnut tree leaves that they can before I find them. They literally devour the leaves off the tree. I am left with just the skeletal veins of the leaves.
I'd like to know what they are and how to prevent them from eating my walnut tree leaves, if possible. I don't spray my plants and trees with pesticides (or anything), so maybe I'll just have to pick them off each time I see them.
2011 Walnut Harvest ~ with protective husks
The photo of the 3 walnuts above shows my entire walnut harvest for 2011! There were 3 or 4 more nuts on the tree, but the squirrels got to them before I did.
Washed Walnut Harvest
So I cleaned them up and am waiting for them to dry a bit before I eat them. What should I feed my tree to get a bigger crop? I want lots. Not just a handful.
Bah!
© Copyright 2011 Mountain Harvest Basket
10 comments:
I dont have any idea about the caterpillars. BUT, I have to say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE your header picture. Its beautiful!
Hi Marcee,
Thanks for the photo compliment! I harvested those tomatillos from my garden just today. More to come soon.
Searched butterfliesandmoths.org/gallery [540 photos of caterpillars - ugh] and did not see a match. [After awhile, I was so grossed out, and they all looked similar.] The closest was Schizura concinna, Red-humped caterpillar moth. I will look elsewhere. Did check some of my plant books for walnut [Juglans] and did NOT see a helpful note like "Walnut trees are frequently plaqued by the [blah blah] caterpillar, which decimates the leaves." Bah!
What a bummer, Jen. We're going over to my sister's place in Healdsburg to pick up our annual share of their walnut harvest. I'll see if my brother-in-law has any suggestions.
Nature always get's her share, sometimes more than she deserves.
Looks like a red-humped caterpillar to me.
A couple of New York City Hot Dogs would do the trick :-) ...then again , maybe not ;)
wow...you have triggered my memory. We had walnut trees in the Bay Area...this was in the 60's. We had those dratted caterpillars....we just picked the green nuts...pealed them and then put them on trays to dry....never did do anything to the caterpillars!!! They are hardy little ones.......Good luck....
I'm not familiar with the caterpillars. I see though, that those aren't black walnuts, which are the only kind that grow around here! Blacks are hard, hard, hard to crack. Are yours English?
May your hearts be filled with peace and faith in God. May your days of doubt be replaced with days of hope and cheer. May you and your family get nurtured with lots of love! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and to your loved ones!
Κisses from Greece Roula!
I'm not sure if you got your answer but they look like gypsy moths to me
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