Worm/Larvae in my bud!

[Aris]

Hello all..

Outdoor grow here, and after two days of heavy rain i was inspecting my S.A.D. (day 58) and found a worm buried near the top of the main cola...

I plucked it and sent the little sucker to her grave... but i'm not sure what to do now.

My questions:

-Is there any chance it was the only one? or was it most likely the first one that hatched and more will appear soon.

-Are other plants in danger of being attacked if they start hatching and turning into moths??

-How much time do I have to take care of the problem?

I won't be able to go to a garden store for a few days, so if its something that needs to be taken care of ASAP should i just snip the top of the cola off??

Thanks in advance for any help guys.

Heres a pic..... the bugger is right in the middle:

 

[namvet25]

There might be more so just keep a close watch and get rid of them by hand if you see any more.No need to cut the plant.

 

[wakkytbakky]

No need to panic friend... they don't eat much... & as a rule are few & far between...

I knew a guy that would eat those nasty fkrs... lmao ...true

he claimed it was similar experience to eating the worm from a tequila bottle...

he mocked me because I wouldn't do it...

I've probably smoked a few in blunts b4...

wakkyT... :Hookah:

 

[Aris]

Thanks for the reassuring words guys!

I spotted another one today... he was chillin on a leaf getting ready for lunch. Too bad he had an 'accident' before he could enjoy his last meal.

I'm not typically the guy that would get grossed out with a little caterpillar in my J (wouldn't eat it tho!)... but I did panic because my google search turned up a post saying that they poop in your buds and this develops mold.

 

[Muddy]

I've had those on my outdoor plants and along with spider mites, are the main reason I stopped growing outdoors. The ones I had were moth larvae. Sort of a greenish color with a yellow stripe down their back. They would get into the bud and chew on the stem. If I didn't get them in time they would completely chew through the stem and the top of the bud would eventually die and fall off. Safer sells a caterpillar insecticide that is very effective and can usually be found locally. Also, Gardens Alive sells a product called Green Step that also works well.

 

[Aris]

Thanks Muddy... now i'm worried again..

I didn't find anything on my S.A.D. today... but my Royal Dwarf had one hanging from one of her sugar leaves today and I was PISSED!!!

The little runt was even moving out of the way when i was trying to pick it off the leaf!! See it hanging in the middle of the pic?



I checked out Garden Alive's Green Step that you recommended... and while i'm not in the US.. i found a product locally with the same active ingredient (BT - Bacillus Thuringiensis). I'll pick some up on monday.

Quick question... everywhere it says i have to drench the plant with the stuff... I'm about 2 weeks from harvest (already on a water only diet)... Is this going to affect my taste? should i drench the buds?

Thanks in advance for all the help guys...

Aris

 

[Aris]

I just read an article for a homemade remedy for aphids and caterpillars.... It had a video of dead caterpillars after he sprayed his broccoli and cauliflower, so it seemed to work.

The recipe was about 100grams of Artemisia absinthium (also called wormwood?) simmered (not boiled) for about an hour.. and then two tablespoons of green (olive oil) soap, finely grated, in one liter of water. Apply by foliar spray generously.

OK, I know the soap kills aphids and other bugs... and according to wikipedia artemisia got the name wormwood because of its traditional use as a vermifuge (ie a drug that expells parasitic worms from the body).

It seems that there might be something to this?

Anyone used soap based treatment while budding?

 

[Eyes on Fire]

Well sure man,the strain if ya will or type of wood carries certain natural insect repellent properties specific to that wood...take Teak for example...ALLLL kinds of stuff goin on There man.So yeah boiling or Simmering rather,the Oil(s) out and mixing with soap as a wetter Prior or mixing it with to spread evenly could work.Sounds plausible...:Sharing One:

 

[Waira]

Hi Aris- I'm OD's too, and I get the exact same 'pillar! This type usually munches leaves only-- fortunately! I say that because there is another type called Bud Worm, notorious for wrecking flowers of all kinds, including our fav'... Those, mine their way deep into the bud, and eat from the insides, more or less,.... often the only way to spot them is by the little turd scattered here and there, or stuck in between budlets,... what you pictured is NOT that type....though I spotted and found mine by both the turds and the leaf damage-- -- note this type of damage, as it's diagnostic; it's not that common to see ragged patches chewed into the leaf interior by 'pillars,.... more often, the work from edges in; this damage looks a good deal like slug/snail damage,.. they have a tongue-like radula that lick-rasps tissues away, leaving the interveinal "webbing" like this, but they also leave tell-tale slime trails that dry up looking like snot smears! Like Muddy said as well, some may get deeper into the bud, and munch the stem too,.... I discovered this by watching a nice bud tip go pale and wilty over a few days; my first worry was mold! :no:...but pulling the budlets aside revealed the little shit wrapped around the stem base!

...Snuffing these little poop-stains is easy, either with a dedicated product for them that has the Bacillus bacteria in liquid suspension (many brands- Safer, Bonide, etc.; I think Muddy mentioned one-- look at labels to be sure), or something with Spinosad in it (ditto)... The bacteria gets ingested and trashes their guts, and the spinosad is a type of neurotoxin (also from a altogether different bacteria) that acts only on a limited range if bugs... I have used both to good effect! They are foliar sprays, easy and safe to apply, even on buds at this stage,... Spray at a time when they can dry slowly out of direct light, and be dry by night, to avoid potential mold issues,... thorough coverage is important! top and bottom of leaves, buds,... no need to soak the plant heavily, but coating all surfaces will be most effective... :thumbs: ..and, of course, an totally anal-retentive micro inspection of the whole plant- :roflcry: .... no kidding about the turds (little brown nuggets) as a give away.... good luck bro'!