Grass eaten by caterpillars

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Davidbid
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Grass eaten by caterpillars

Postby Davidbid » Thu Oct 17, 2019 9:30 pm

Hi experts - I have a house in Estepona and try to have a more English type lawn.
For the last 3 years my grass has suffered by being eaten by caterpillars from about August. In America they seem to call them "Fall worms" or " Army Fall Worms".
Dursban was the recommended insecticide to kill them but it is not available any more.
What is the best available product and procedure to kill them?

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marios
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Re: Grass eaten by caterpillars

Postby marios » Fri Oct 18, 2019 7:56 pm

Can you post a photo of your grass, what has happened to it?, I'm getting a lot of worms in my pool and may have the same problem, my grass has gone brown but I thought I had over fertilized it.

El Cid
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Re: Grass eaten by caterpillars

Postby El Cid » Fri Oct 18, 2019 8:56 pm


Davidbid
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Re: Grass eaten by caterpillars

Postby Davidbid » Thu Oct 24, 2019 8:33 pm

hi Marios
The first year I had the caterpillars, they were swarming into the pool and committing suicide seemingly by the hundred or thousands!
My gardener didn't know what they were either for a long time - he thought they were breeding in there. I dont think I can get any meaningful pictures of the grass because I have been reseeding but it certainly sounds the same.
This year I returned from a 2 month absence at the start of September and the grass was green - however inside 2 weeks most of it had been eaten. The insecticide supplied by my gardener didnt seem to work and now we are on a different one.
To see if the caterpillars are in the grass - this is what you do. It can seem a bit scary!!
Put a couple of gallons ( 10-11 litres) of water in a bucket and mix in a good squeeze of washing up liquid. Stir gently but do not make a froth.
Pour the water over an area 30" across ( about 75cm diameter)of grass where it is going from brown to green. Be prepared to see caterpillars (worms) escaping from the ground- they don't like the soap!
You can do this in several places to see the extent of the problem.
Then we need to find a GOOD insecticide that will promptly kill the little *******s

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marios
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Re: Grass eaten by caterpillars

Postby marios » Thu Oct 24, 2019 8:38 pm

Yes I did that test but nothing came up, maybe I didn't put enough soap in, I do think though I over ferertilized as it pretty uniform.

Davidbid
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Re: Grass eaten by caterpillars

Postby Davidbid » Thu Oct 24, 2019 8:49 pm

Hi Sid
Thanks for the link. I have read it but didn;t really understand what it was saying in relation to killing the caterpillars. Unless I missed the point.

Davidbid
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Re: Grass eaten by caterpillars

Postby Davidbid » Thu Oct 24, 2019 8:50 pm

Hi Marios
Are they worms or caterpillars? Mine are caterpillars

El Cid
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Re: Grass eaten by caterpillars

Postby El Cid » Thu Oct 24, 2019 10:01 pm

Davidbid wrote:Hi Sid
Thanks for the link. I have read it but didn;t really understand what it was saying in relation to killing the caterpillars. Unless I missed the point.
It kills caterpillars! The bacteria gets into their guts and they explode. It’s readily available as it is not toxic unless you are a caterpillar.

It very useful on edible plants as it doesn’t make them poisonous.

You can buy “banned” insecticides without an operators licence if you know where to go. I use Chlorpirifos which kills most bugs including the nasty ones like cockroaches. I bought a litre some years ago and still have plenty left.

Sid

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marios
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Re: Grass eaten by caterpillars

Postby marios » Thu Oct 24, 2019 10:21 pm

Definitely caterpillars.

Davidbid
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Re: Grass eaten by caterpillars

Postby Davidbid » Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:37 pm

Thanks Sid
It looked so technical to start with but now I see that if I search for Bacillus thuringiensis in ebay there are are lots of products. Will have to check the local garden centre.
Marios.... looks like this is what we both need.

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spanish_lad
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Re: Grass eaten by caterpillars

Postby spanish_lad » Mon Nov 11, 2019 2:28 pm

Dont go to leroy merlin and ask for it.. It needs to be a small town ferreteria / garden type shop.

My local one allowed me to buy 15L of the stuff that you shouldnt be able to buy without a licence. I offered the company CIF number etc but he wasnt interested, he just wanted 'cash, no reciept' ...

And we wonder why spains economy is in the *beep*.
Alhaurin el Grande since 99, working at the airport since 2011.


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