Lest you think things are idyllic, I should set the record straight. It's not always a pretty picture around here. We have bugs, weeds, diseases too. We try to learn from them and keep their damage minimal.
The latest visitors (or should I say residents?) were found today on the Gala Apple. The tender top of one limb was defoliated. A closer look revealed a lot of energetic caterpillars who were just doing their thing. On this particular occasion, that was chowing down. Richard put the limb, caterpillars and all right into a plastic bag which he sealed.
Melanie went inside and grabbed one of our favorite books on diseases and insects on plants and organic remedies. The critters didn't look exactly the same as any of the pictures. We wondered if they were Tent Caterpillars, but no webbing was found.
I told my partners on this Little Farm that I'd take pictures and send them to our Missouri Extension Horticulturist Jennifer Schutter. Jennifer and the Extension Service are great resources for Gardeners.
In the meantime, we checked all the Fruit Trees and found no further evidence of Caterpillars. Richard stuffed the plastic sack into the Garbage. Sorry, Little Critters, but you cannot hang around here.
1 comment:
They definitely don't look like the tent caterpillars that we're seeing here. I hope that it's nothing too serious!
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