This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Loads of caterpillars on Pyracantha - also aphids
Morning all.
Have two thriving pyracantha either side of the house bay window. They face south and are on irrigation in large Ironstone pots with high quality soil.
But this year, the left hand side one is covered with caterpillars. I've attached a photo below.
A Google search says this is Rusty Tussock Moth.
There is definitely leaves being eaten as you will see in the photo but I'm unsure whether these things are damaging the plant. There's a good deal of them.
Question I guess is, do I live with them or do I treat the plant in some way? Keen not to just jump to chemical or destructive answers but at the same time don't want to see a plant that's took some years suffer.
In parallel, the right hand side one seems plastered in aphids. I've sprayed a bit with washing up liquid and water mix which seems to have slowed things. But again ... best to leave and live with or treat? The leaf growth seems poorer on the branches with the infestation.
Many thanks in advance for your help. Always get great answers on here.
Apologies, could not get the bottom photo to rotate properly.
Have two thriving pyracantha either side of the house bay window. They face south and are on irrigation in large Ironstone pots with high quality soil.
But this year, the left hand side one is covered with caterpillars. I've attached a photo below.
A Google search says this is Rusty Tussock Moth.
There is definitely leaves being eaten as you will see in the photo but I'm unsure whether these things are damaging the plant. There's a good deal of them.
Question I guess is, do I live with them or do I treat the plant in some way? Keen not to just jump to chemical or destructive answers but at the same time don't want to see a plant that's took some years suffer.
In parallel, the right hand side one seems plastered in aphids. I've sprayed a bit with washing up liquid and water mix which seems to have slowed things. But again ... best to leave and live with or treat? The leaf growth seems poorer on the branches with the infestation.
Many thanks in advance for your help. Always get great answers on here.
Apologies, could not get the bottom photo to rotate properly.
0
Posts
As for the aphids, they will not do serious damage, predators will probably find them soon.