I have a (portulaca grandiflora) Moss Rose plant in a container kept in the Balcony. It is infested with this worm like insects. they are many. I tried spraying insecticide bought from nursery but they seem unaffected. Also They play dead or are very still most of the times, so its very difficult to spot them easily. Please help me find what this worm exactly is and what it’s called so that I can find out proper killer for these creatures. They have affected the plant badly and flowering is reduced remarkably. Buds are drying our before blooming. Please check the picture and help me identify this bug.
They are larvae or caterpillars of the Geometer moth, one of many different Geometridae. Some common names here for the larvae are loop worms or inchworms, though they are not worms. Most of what I'm reading is of the "how to take care of inchworms" point of view (put them in a jar, provide some food). Here is one that recognizes that they're a pest; I'm not sure what it says is practical for one potted plant. Green Worms in Your Garden - All About Worms The Inchworm song from the movie Hans Christian Andersen was going round in my head last month. I finally got rid of, but now it's back. :) I did enjoy seeing your photos - I'd forgotten what they looked like.
Thank you for your reply. I did Checked with the plants in my other balcony and I can see that they are everywhere on my Plumbago & Lemon plant. They have turned all the new growth in both the plants black. Eaten most of the leaves on Plumbago. They might be wonderful to watch but not on plants!! Also I think I also found the culprit, I saw Butterfly (with Abstract designed wings) near one of the planters. You can also check the damage they have caused to my plants.
Some guy did a video about how inchworms can be beneficial. That's one thing in a field or a huge garden, but it seems unfair when they target your few specimen plants on a balcony. Here's one page with some advice. I don't know if they're too far along for the Bacillus thuringiensis application. It does mention that the inchworms hatch and then the moths get to work on the plants. Ugh. How to Kill Inchworms? Another site mentioned that it doesn't kill the larvae outright, just stops them from being able to eat, so they die. It also said to apply the Bacillus weekly.
Diatomaceous earth is my go to for crawling insects. I would dust all your plants with this when it’s going to be dry weather and hose it off when you stop seeing signs of this insect. Reapplying as needed and for prevention. Be aware although it is a natural insecticide it can harm bees -so do not dust on flowers or during times when bees are most active.
