Various pests can wreak havoc on hydrangeas, including caterpillars such as the Hydrangea Sphinx Moth caterpillar, Azalea Caterpillar, and Eastern Tent Caterpillar. Some common caterpillar species that feed on hydrangeas include the Eastern Tent Caterpillar, the Fall Webworm, and the Hydrangea Sphinx Moth Caterpillar. To identify the caterpillar species, carefully examine its physical characteristics such as color, size, markings, and body shape.
Fully-grown caterpillars pupate under leaf litter in loose cocoons of leaves and silk. Flight:. One brood; from June-July in the north, March-September in Louisiana, and February-July in Florida.
Caterpillar Hosts: Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), and waterwillow (Decodon verticillatus). How to get rid of hydrangea caterpillars? In order to control the Olethreutes ferriferana, or Hydrangea Leaf-tier Moth, it is recommended that all stems be pruned to a height of 10 cm from the ground in the spring, following the completion of egg-laying. The cupped leaves should be prised open and the caterpillar destroyed, or the affected leaves should be removed and destroyed.
Chemical. Controlling caterpillars on hydrangea plants can be achieved through manual removal, encouraging natural predators, using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), neem oil, horticultural oil, companion planting, and maintaining plant health. These pests can quickly strip the leaves and flowers of your hydrangea plant, causing significant damage.
To prevent these pests from damaging your hydrangeas, follow. Darapsa versicolor, the hydrangea sphinx, is a moth species of the family Sphingidae that inhabits eastern North America, often in wetlands. It was first described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1839.
Caterpillars: wild hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens (aka smooth hydrangea, sevenbark); buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis; and water-willow, Decodon verticillatus. Pictures of and information about Darapsa versicolor, the Hydrangea Sphinx, with caterpillar images and foodplants lists and links to other related species. The Hydrangea Sphinx is a relative large caterpillar (almost as large as my thumb) that feeds on plants in the hydrangea family.
The caterpillar below was found (Summer 2010) near a mock orange plant (an ornamental Philadelphus species in the family Hydrangeaceae). The caterpillar eggs are laid singly and it is a good thing because a single caterpillar can consume a large amount of foliage. Discover how to identify, manage, and coexist with hydrangea caterpillars in your bee garden.
Learn about their life cycle, impact on pollinators, and effective control methods for a healthy ecosystem.