[Gator Fan]

Anyone have a successful remedy for the orange caterpillars on the Oleanders? The pesticide I'm using is not very effective. Thanks.

[Fourpar]

Originally Posted by greg441

Anyone have a successful remedy for the orange caterpillars on the Oleanders? The pesticide I'm using is not very effective. Thanks.

Hmmmm...Get rid of the oleanders?
The caterpillars are a major annoyance that just about all oleanders have to endure. They (caterpillars) eat a lot of leaves before turning into black & blue, spotted moths. The good news is they don't really harm the oleanders, they just eat the leaves and make them ugly. The plant recovers just fine. But beware, do not squash the caterpillars as they have a vile smell!
Spray helps a bit, but I never could really get rid of the annual invasion in my oleanders....Sorry I can't offer better solution. Maybe someone else has a real remedy......

[Madelaine Amee]

EENY-009/IN135: Oleander caterpillar, Syntomeida epilais Walker (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Arctiidae). This is a link to an excellent article on the Oleander Caterpillar and what it does to your Oleander, it's from the University of Florida.

However, this is the section pertaining to chemical use:

Chemical control

Application of insecticides should be considered as a last resort for this insect which, while producing unsightly damage, does not kill oleander. Bacillus thuringiensis, a microbial insecticide that is sold under various trade names, is a bacterium that kills only lepidopteran larvae. It has no toxicity toward beneficial insects.

Florida Insect Management Guide for woody ornamentals, ENY-311/IG012: Commercial Foliage and Woody Ornamental Arthropod Pest Management

I had a beautiful Oleander which I used for shade, but every year it got infested with these caterpillars so in the end I gave up and got rid of the Oleander. Hope this helps.

[PaPaLarry]

Originally Posted by Madelaine Amee

EENY-009/IN135: Oleander caterpillar, Syntomeida epilais Walker (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Arctiidae). This is a link to an excellent article on the Oleander Caterpillar and what it does to your Oleander, it's from the University of Florida.

However, this is the section pertaining to chemical use:

Chemical control

Application of insecticides should be considered as a last resort for this insect which, while producing unsightly damage, does not kill oleander. Bacillus thuringiensis, a microbial insecticide that is sold under various trade names, is a bacterium that kills only lepidopteran larvae. It has no toxicity toward beneficial insects.

Florida Insect Management Guide for woody ornamentals, ENY-311/IG012: Commercial Foliage and Woody Ornamental Arthropod Pest Management

I had a beautiful Oleander which I used for shade, but every year it got infested with these caterpillars so in the end I gave up and got rid of the Oleander. Hope this helps.

Interesting???? I thought maybe there was some type of home remedy mixture, that we could make to spray plant. Looks like I have to go out there and pick them off with tweezers!!!

[KathieI]

Interesting reading, thanks Madelaine. I was curious because we always had oleanders in CA and we never had caterpillars but I see its a FL and GA thing. So glad, cause I hate those fuzzy things. ugh!!

But please be careful, oleanders are very poisonous to your pets so don't plant them where your animals can eat the dropped flowers. I have heard of many dogs dieing after eating those flowers. Just an FYI!!!

[PaPaLarry]

Yesterday, I picked off 11 caterpillars, and cut leaves off that had eggs on them. I gave them a hot water drowning, and put in time for the garbage trucks to take away. Looks like I'm going to be on the caterpillar watch!!!! But didn't know that plant was dangerous to pets!! Hmmmmmm??

[asianthree]

Ohhhhh i thought i would just move them to the trash without killing them.

[PaPaLarry]

Still pick'n off those caterpillers!!!! Got 4 yesterday!!! LOL