Privet is not often attacked by pests. However, there is a caterpillar called the privet hawkmoth that likes to attack the popular hedge plant. Here you can find out how to recognize the pests and what you can do against an infestation.
How do I deal with caterpillar pests on privet?
Privet moth caterpillars are bright green pests with a horn at the rear end. They leave dark balls of feces and prefer privet, lilac, ash, currant and raspberry. If the infestation is small, tolerate them, otherwise remove the caterpillars or rely on natural bird control. They develop into useful nocturnal pollinators.
How do I recognize the privet moth caterpillars?
Check the area under the privet for unusualdark balls of feces from the caterpillar. The caterpillars themselves have an easily recognizable color. However, the pests often seek the protection of the dense foliage of the privet and therefore do not appear so quickly. However, they secrete a dark droppings that are about the size of a pea and fall to the ground beneath the plant. This allows you to quickly recognize a more severe infestation.
What do the privet moth caterpillars look like?
The privet moth caterpillars grow to about 10 cm long, arelight greenin color and have a distinctive smallhorn at their rear end. While the green color in the leaves of the privet also provides a certain degree of camouflage, the side stripes on the body of the small pests are quickly noticeable. In addition to the privet, the caterpillar also likes to use these plants as a habitat:
- Lilac
- Ash
- currant
- Raspberry
Do I have to fight the privet hornworm caterpillars?
You can easily tolerate asmall infestationwith a few privet hornworm caterpillarsAs long as the infestation by the caterpillars does not get out of hand, The privet can certainly cope with these pests. Neither a few caterpillars nor the butterflies that emerge from them are likely to cause much damage to a he althy plant. Unlike the black weevil, this caterpillar is not really dangerous.
What do I do against pest infestation with caterpillars?
You canremove the animals and release them somewhere else. Since the caterpillars are not poisonous and usually do not occur in large numbers, you can simply welcome them into your garden as part of the natural ecosystem. It is not a threatening pest for privet. A natural control is the visit of birds. Many birds use the caterpillars as a source of food.
What develops from the privet moth caterpillars?
The privet moth develops into a beautifulmoth The butterfly's abdomen is red or pink in color and has black horizontal stripes. After the caterpillars pupate, they develop into a beautiful butterfly. This means your garden will be populated by an animal that can definitely be seen as an enrichment.
Tip
Moths make a useful contribution to pollination
The butterflies that emerge from the privet moth caterpillars also help pollinate flowers. In this respect, this is more of a beneficial insect than a pest.