What's eating your garden?

Touring through the demonstration garden here at the Manatee County Extension office we came across friend and foe.

This dill is almost completely devoured

63 Friends

But look closely because the muncher is the Black Swallowtail caterpillar.  In order to have butterflies we have to support the caterpillars.  Spraying a pesticide to eliminate them would also eliminate their chance to become butterflies.  We soon will be enjoying butterflies. 

 Black Swallowtail Butterfly

As for the dill, we can grow more in another location and transfer any munchers to the plant in the photo above.

We also came upon many of these very attractive grasshoppers

Foe

The Eastern Lubber Grasshopper may often invade residential areas and feast on certain ornamental plants, especially amaryllis and related flowers. Unlike the tolerance we recommend for the caterpillar, the University of Florida's recommendation for the Lubber is "If you cannot control them through mowing, try hand-picking. You can throw them into a bucket of soapy water or a trash bag to kill them."  This is because the occurrence can be large enough to cause serious economic damage to citrus, vegetable crops and landscape ornamental.

Any time you come across a plant or animal stranger in your landscape or garden bring it in for our Master Gardeners to identify.  This is a free service offered through the Manatee County Extension Office, 1303 17th Street West, Palmetto hours are Mon., Tues., Thurs., and Fri. from 9am-4pm.