Anyway, when I saw the holes in the cucumber below, I immediately knew what it was. They showed up last year at this time on the cantaloupe, but this time were on the cucumbers (the only cucurbit left in the garden). If you've never seen a pickle worm, then you're in for a treat. I got some pretty nice shots of what to look for. As usual, you can click on each photo to enlarge it.
Photo below - here's what the little stinker looks like. Pretty small, huh? Boy, this thing can really damage fruit - let me tell ya! They don't bother with foliage at all, and instead - bore straight into the fruit (squash, cucumbers, cantaloupe, melons, pumpkins), and really do a number to the interior flesh.
Photo below - here's some of its excrement, which will be the color of whatever it's bored into.
Photo below - here's another one, that hasn't got its body entirely into the fruit yet. I really think their color is kinda pretty, with the tiny black dots and all....I know, pretty weird. Ha! If it wasn't at the very end of my growing season, it would bother me - believe me.
Photo below - I found a couple of these, too. The spotted cucumber beetle has gotta be my favorite harmful pest in the garden, because let's face it - they're kinda cute. However, they spread disease like the plague....I had to kill these, of course. Splat!
I've noticed a decline in most bloggers' posts as of late, and it's just what happens this time of year. We just run out of stuff to talk about. Well, not all of us. Heh. I'll keep blogging about composting, the memorial landscaping project, landscaping projects at home, construction of the shed, construction of my highly anticipated hoop covers, and the broccoli and onions throughout the winter. No break for EG, that's for sure!Speaking of the hoop covers, my good friend John made me realize something. I've been thinking about how I could provide some heat for them economically, and at the time they'll actually be used - won't need any heat at all. Ventilation will be my only concern, as the inside temperature can easily build to 90-95 degrees during a sunny, winter day.
I know most of you are eager to see the design, but I haven't got all of the details finished yet. I'll tell ya this much - they'll have thermostatically controlled ventilation fans, which will be controlled by a homemade combination of semiconductors (electronic components) i'll assemble, hehe. I wanted to go all out on it, but it just gets too expensive. Maybe I can make enough from the plants to upgrade next year. I think it's possible. Anyway, you're gonna love this ventilation system, and how it works. I feel like that mad scientist for the intro of "Robot Chicken", ha!
Take care, and happy gardening!
EG
11 comments:
EG - I can always count on your for a good lesson on bugs. That's a lot of poo for a little worm. Where do they come from? Are they a larva of a fly of some kind?
I can't wait to read about your ventilation system...sound very high tech!
EG, you stole my post for tomorrow. Those are the same little buggers that are eating my cucumbers.I've lost a over 20 cucumbers to them already this fall. So that goo is poop, huh? That's a lot of poop for something that small.
Thanks for sharing the pests that you find. Not sure I have them in my area but if I do now I know what to look for. Keep on posting I love reading your blog!
Liisa
Thomas - the larvae most likely turns into some kind of moth. I'll get the ventilation system started when my order arrives.
ribbit - I'm so sorry...Yep, that's poop!
Liisa - thanks. I'll keep showing the various bugs I find. Your area probably has the striped cucumber beetle - instead of the spotted variety.
Never seen a pickle worm before. Always lots of good insect info here! Your ventilation plan sounds very interesting, can't wait to see it in action. I've been about as lazy with my garden as I have been with my blog. I have not even put the tops on the tunnel or coldframe yet.
Well, it's nice knowing I wasn't the only one with these pickle worms... they wiped out my entire late summer crop of cucumbers. I didn't get even 1 cucumber to eat. Now the chickens, they love having this worm around LOL The worms were just a protein surprise in all of the cucumbers they got to eat LOL
What can be done to stop these worms EG? I definitely don't want to have them around come spring time.
Critters, critters and more critters. I've planted a few fall crops: greens, sugar peas, carrots, etc. and I've recently noticed a bug perfectly rolled up in some of the leafage on my peas. Taking a tip from you I just squish the little boggers and boy do I have to be vigilant.
I learn so much from your blog hopefully you will continue to post through the winter. Thanks for offering the RB seeds I would certainly like to have some.
Dan - I understand about the being lazy part. I'm almost burned out with gardening for the year, myself.
Judy - the moths that are responsible for the worm spend the winter in south florida, so they come back every July. A weekly spray program of carbaryl or thiodan is the recommended control. BTW...my password to leave comments on your blog doesn't work anymore. I visit, but can't leave comments...
Eekaliving - that's the best way to deal with bugs, just squish them. Oh, i'll definitely keep posting throughout the winter. As soon as the okra pods have dried well, i'll harvest the seeds from them, and offer some to anyone that wants them. That'll be in about 4 weeks.
Winter gardening is generally so easy and rewarding here that I don't get burned out. What's killing me is the slow yard remodel. Sigh.
Some little critters you've got there! I have never seen the variety and amount of pests as I did in my yard in TN. Nothing like here -- we just sort of get gray winter aphids and the occasional looper and cucumber beetle. Nothing much so far! Happy squishing.
EG,
The pickleworms completely bypassed my yard this year, but last year they came early and stayed late. We were able to eat around some of the damage, but lots of cukes were wrecked all the way through.
The rain here continues. When Alabama slides into the Gulf of Mexico, Georgia will be sliding right alongside. What a mess!
I am glad to hear that you are able to get some work done between the rains!
-Amy, NW of Atlanta
Maybe that is why I've never seen a pickle worm. It doesn't fly all the way up here. I can't wait to see what you're making.
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