Growing a cannabis plant requires a lot of caution and do’s and don’ts to remember, especially for newbies who are completely new to gardening. As a result, several complex issues have discouraged growers from proceeding until the end and reaping what they sow. Instead of diving further into unsolicited complications, it would be nice to resort to other solutions.
Aside from technical difficulties, natural attacks are often inevitable, such as caterpillars on cannabis, molds, mildew, and other unwanted pest attacks. These reoccurring circumstances bring growers to the edge of their patience and have been constantly in a wary state.
Fortunately for them, there are ways on how to get rid of caterpillars on cannabis. To know more about techniques in keeping your cannabis free from pest attacks, here is some useful information to assist you.
The Assumptions about Caterpillars on Cannabis
At first glance, you might think that caterpillars aren’t completely destructive to your plants and might even give you beneficial impacts. But, that’s only one of the most suggested assumptions among growers. According to experts, studies have defied these statements with actual practices and examples.
The truth is, caterpillar infestations are like mini snakes that will slowly incapacitate your once healthy crop. During the first days of their present, you can actually get rid of them easily by catching them since they have already been in your crop for a short time and won’t dive further. However, once the pest’s stay gets longer than usual, it would become a difficult task to catch them all.
Where did Caterpillars come from?
Surely, caterpillars did not come out of anywhere. Like most common pests situating themselves in cannabis plants, caterpillars also originated from a lack of caution and definite action coming from growers. One of the most typical factors that could have allowed caterpillars to emerge is the crop’s unsuitable environment.
Sometimes, too much humidity or temperature might have caused them to come out. Also, there might have been improper solutions that made these caterpillars go nuts. Because of that, it’s highly recommendable for cultivators always to check their crops now and then and be alert towards minuscule things.
What can Caterpillars do on Cannabis?
Caterpillars aren’t entirely inoffensive and can bring all your effort on your cannabis plant to crumble down. These creatures can lay eggs over your crop, and the moment these eggs hatch, there will be about more than a hundred tiny worms consuming your cannabis plant’s leaves and will leave them lifeless. You would notice that leaves become transparent since they are only devouring the fibers present in the leaves.
As they become bigger, they also become easier to notice, which is why growers can only detect caterpillars once they all get bigger. But your crop’s suffering will not end there as they will no longer the fiber, but they can consume whole leaves. In return, you can only see the remains of your leaves with multiple and big cuts.
Failure to catch these minuscule creatures will allow them to reside for as long as they want, and as long as the plant is alive, and become more destructive to your hard-earned plant. These caterpillars will soon begin devouring the buds that will allow humidity to infiltrate the bud, and soon rot.
Besides that, caterpillars defecate a lot and will spread them all over the plants. These waste materials will make things more difficult as it allows botrytis and other fungi to penetrate your well-cared plant. These feces might be hard to spot and might get caught will all the resin, so removing them will be a lot challenging than usual.
In conclusion, the first and early days of caterpillar infestations are evadable, but once they get too comfortable, they will roam around the plant and destroy it completely. If you were able to notice some feces over your crop, it is an indication that caterpillars have lived long enough in your cannabis plants.
When and Where can you see Caterpillars on Cannabis?
Though you only suspect their infestation to be earlier, it doesn’t mean you can catch them right away. Caterpillars are well and alive during the night but can blend in or camouflage on sunny days. These buggers look similar to pistils, except they are in motion. Hence, it is easier for you to get a hold of them and eliminate them from your plants.
Their hiding spots are usually found under the leaves, and they might also camouflage themselves on top of your cannabis’ leaf. It’s important that you won’t let them stay longer since they are even more difficult to spot when they get older despite being bigger.
How to get rid of Caterpillars on Cannabis
Having enough knowledge about getting your cannabis plants healthier will make things easier once you spotted a caterpillar on your cannabis. A number of traditional-based gardeners found different approaches to eradicate these unwanted infestations without drowning the crop in chemicals and solutions.
- The most common method, as mentioned, is the manual removal through spotting the buggers moving around your cannabis plant’s leaves. You can simply pick one up if you found one and place them in a container before unleashing them somewhere far.
- You can make use of your own armies of insects with parasitic wasps. These creatures are predators to caterpillars because they use their bodies to situate their newly-hatched eggs. In the end, caterpillars can become non-existent on your cannabis plant.
- Employing praying mantises will also be an ideal move as these assassins of nature prey on caterpillars. Praying mantises can spot even the nocturnal ones simply by hiding under the leaves, in flowers, behind stalks, and even in the soil until they see their prey move. This brutal yet effective approach is typical among growers who do not only collect seeds and plants.
- Lastly, if you find no other effective solutions to imply, you can use natural sprays or pesticides. These bacterial pesticides comprise species that can greatly harm these buggers without sacrificing the well-being of the plant. However, steer clear away from administering these pesticides during or days before the harvesting period as it might affect the plant’s growth.
Natural nuisance has already been a part of growing cannabis. Knowing how to get rid of caterpillars on cannabis will benefit your skills as a cultivator and people who will avail buds you’ve been producing. With that, it’s important to keep an eye out for these little creatures as they can contribute big damages.