They are the nightmare of anyone with a garden: you leave the house one morning and see that your plants, which were bursting with health the previous evening, have been sawn in half - affected by moth larvae. These nocturnal worms are the larvae of many different species of moths. They cut young plants when they feed, and are capable of destroying an entire field. The good news is that moth larvae can be controlled using some simple techniques that don't require the use of toxic chemicals. Read on to find out which ones.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Method One: Check and Protect Your Plants
Step 1. Recognize the signs of a moth larvae infestation
You won't see them during the day, because they feed at night. Most garden owners don't know they have a problem with moth larvae until they see evidence of it the morning after they ate. Until that time, you cannot know how many larvae you have in the garden. Reducing its population before this eventuality will help you save your garden. Here's what you need to look for:
- Plants cut near the base of the stem.
- Plants that wither or are damaged.
- Moth larvae droppings.
- The larvae of the moths themselves, which you can find by pushing the ground with your hands near the damage. You can find them in different colors, including grays, browns, pinks, blacks etc. Some are polka dot, others have stripes, and some have no markings.
Step 2. Remove moth larvae from your plants at night
Go out at night with a flashlight and collect them one by one from your plants. Put them in a bucket of soapy water to drown them and then throw them away. Repeat this once every two to three nights until you notice a decline in the moth larvae population. Keep checking their presence throughout the summer.
Step 3. Make some plant protectors
Moth larvae like to feed on plants starting from the base of the stem, essentially decapitating them. If you put barriers around the stems, moth larvae have a much harder time accessing the stem. Cut 4-inch pieces of cardstock, plastic, or other solid material that can protect your plants. You could also use cardboard tubes or metal cans after removing the ends.
The downside to putting on guards is that every single stem will need a barrier to keep the moth larvae away. If you have a large garden with hundreds of plants, you may need to combine this method with others so you don't spend the whole summer looking after your plants
Step 4. Install guards around the plant stems
Push them about 2.5 cm deep into the soil, so that the protection protrudes about 7.5 cm. Moth larvae will not be able to scale the surface of the cardboard and metal or penetrate underneath. If you cut out cardboard or plastic protectors, make sure the edges are tightly taped and have no openings for moth larvae to crawl into.
Step 5. Strengthen the plant stems
To further protect your plants, you can reinforce their stems to prevent moth larvae from eating them. Cut a straw of the appropriate length. Next, make an opening in each piece lengthwise and tuck them over the stems. Bury the lower part in the ground.
Alternatively, you can wrap each stalk with a piece of cardboard, thick paper, or aluminum foil, making sure they get into the ground
Method 2 of 3: Method Two: Use Natural Deterrents and Pesticides
Step 1. Apply Bacillus thuringiesis in your garden
It is a bacterium known for its ability to kill moth larvae, and you will find it in all gardening stores. It is a natural way to get rid of moth larvae without causing damage to plants or animals. Apply to the soil in the affected area.
- This bacterium also harms other types of moths and butterflies, so if you don't want to harm other types of insects, use a different method.
- Spray the pesticides in the afternoon for best results against moth larvae. Since they feed at night, the pesticide will need to be applied as soon as they do. Reapply after each rain until the plants are large enough that you no longer have to fear the larvae.
Step 2. Try diatomaceous earth
It is a natural powder made from fossils that you can sprinkle in the affected area. It is not dangerous for humans, plants or animals, but it eliminates insects that walk on it, perforating them and causing them to dehydrate. Make sure you don't apply it in areas where you want to promote a beneficial insect population.
Try powdered eggshells or coffee beans as an alternative
Step 3. Use cornmeal
Moth larvae love cornmeal, which damages their digestive system. Many will eat too much of it, to the point of killing themselves. Sprinkle some in the affected area of your garden. Don't overdo it, or you might attract other parasites.
Step 4. Get a molasses treatment
If you mix the molasses with sawdust and wheat bran, you will create a thick paste that can be spread in circles around the plants in the areas affected by the moth larvae. When they crawl on the molasses solution, their bodies will get trapped and cannot ruin your plants.
Method 3 of 3: Method Three: Change Your Garden Environment
Step 1. Delay planting of plants in the garden by a couple of weeks if possible
After the first feeding phase in the first days of spring, the number of moth larvae and the extent of their damage generally decrease.
- Consider planting perennial flowers in your garden. Plant them outside your garden as a form of prevention against moth larvae. Unlike weeds and tall grass, the flowers die in the fall, when adults look for places to lay their eggs.
- Hoe the soil in the spring before planting, to expose and eliminate larvae that have hibernated in the soil.
Step 2. Keep your garden tidy
Remove weeds from your yard and areas around your yard to reduce suitable places for moth spawning. Doing so will also remove a food source of the moth larvae. Keep your garden grass cut low.
Step 3. Clean up your garden after harvest
Remove all plant debris from the garden after harvest to discourage spawning by adult moths. Hoe the soil again in the fall to expose the larvae and decrease the number of those that will survive the winter.
Step 4. Make your garden hospitable to moth larvae predators
Making your garden pet-friendly is a great way to control moth larvae, as birds and many other animals feed on them. Encourage the following animals to feed on the moth larvae in your garden:
- Frogs
- Moles
- Dragonflies
- Blackbird
- Skylarks
Advice
- Since most of the plants affected by moth larvae are vegetables, you should always prefer organic pesticides to chemical treatments.
- Set up bird feeders and a water source to encourage birds to live in your garden. Jays, blackbirds, wrens and sparrows feed on moth larvae. Beneficial nematodes also eat moth larvae, and you can find them in many gardening stores. Skunks dig up the larvae of moth larvae from the ground and eat them.
- A solution of bleach-free liquid soap mixed with water can be helpful in keeping worms away from plants.
