Question - What is the best spray for caterpillars on Oleander Trees?
What is the best spray for worms on Oleander Trees? This is in Florida.
Margaret Siewert
Answers
Best and environmental friendly solution is to pull off the worms or caterpillars and cut off the leaves that have bad infestation and dispose of them.
Dipel and Thuricide are two insecticides that affect caterpillars and not people. The caterpillars have to be detected early and the insecticide applied immediately.
As a last resort, use a systemic insecticide, which the plant absorbs, so that it kills the caterpillar as it feeds on the leaves.
A few precautions: The Oleander is a very poisonous plant which is why the caterpillars have few predators, as they are full of the poison they have eaten from the foliage. If removing caterpillars by hand, wash your hands and, if using them, rubber gloves thoroughly afterwards. Also, if burning the leaves or stems, becareful as the smoke is toxic.