Good or bad caterpillar

[TryingOui]

I found several of these caterpillars on my Lemon Skunk buds but saw no discernible damage to the flowers. Can anyone identify what type it is and if it it is good or bad for the plant?

It is well camouflaged but you can see it to the right of the base of the fan leaf. Thanks for your help.

 

[kushybuns]

Don't know if you ever got an answer before. Looks to me like a cutworm. Does it have legs down the entire length of its body? Cutworms will bite off your buds right at the base. You'll start seeing buds just mysteriously fall off when you touch your plant. Kill the little buggers!
One other thing it could be, but normally are green-bodied, is a looper. Those only have legs at the front and rear of their bodies and move in the well-known "inchworm" fashion. These also damage your crop and need to be killed, too.
Both come from moths. If this is indoor grow, make sure there are no moths fluttering around in the grow room.

 

[SnowBender]

There are good worms? I always just kill 'em all indiscriminately...

 

[kushybuns]

Yeah, SnowBender, you got that right. I can't think of ANY good worm/caterpillar I'd want muching on my leaves and buds!

 

[kushybuns]

oopss....meant "munching"....duh!

 

[TryingOui]

Don't know if you ever got an answer before. Looks to me like a cutworm. Does it have legs down the entire length of its body? Cutworms will bite off your buds right at the base. You'll start seeing buds just mysteriously fall off when you touch your plant. Kill the little buggers!
One other thing it could be, but normally are green-bodied, is a looper. Those only have legs at the front and rear of their bodies and move in the well-known "inchworm" fashion. These also damage your crop and need to be killed, too.
Both come from moths. If this is indoor grow, make sure there are no moths fluttering around in the grow room.

Hey KushyBuns, honestly, after seeing the little buggers and snapping this picture, I started squishing them like you said. Didn't look long or close enough to make out distinct features, just squished They did move in the fashion you mentioned so they might just have been loopers. I have noticed moths feeding on the zinnias in my garden at night. Inspected the other plants and didn't see any more. BTW, I just love your handle.

There are good worms? I always just kill 'em all indiscriminately...

SnowBender, couldn't help myself. My heart skipped a beat, I said sheeesh, snapped the pic and then squished it between my thumb and forefinger. Maybe that's how gardeners get to be known as having a green thumb eh?

Yeah, SnowBender, you got that right. I can't think of ANY good worm/caterpillar I'd want muching on my leaves and buds!

At this stage, they could help munch the leaves but definitely not the buds. I need all the help I can get trimming

 

[kushybuns]

Haha...thanks for the "love your handle". I thought long and hard on that one, and it just seemed to fit...more ways than one! Good luck!

 

[Captain Kronic]

That looks like the same kind that are camped in my pards garden... we have been fighting them for a couple of weeks now. The hard part is that his MJ garden is not the source of the problem. We believe that they are coming from some of the surrounding oak trees!
I would not only kill everyone I saw but, I would be very hard pressed to not hit them w/some chems. I am not one to tolerate uninvited guests in my garden, let alone ones that want to eat my babies... DIE SCUM... DIE PAINFULLY!
I would be willing to bet that the bastards have or are laying eggs in your buds! I can almost say for certain that they aren't there to eat leaves... DIE YOU BASTARD SCUM (the worms... not you guys... LOL)
PS... in my pards garden, we are using Azamax w/some good results. It hasn't eradicated them but, it seems to be more or less helping to control their numbers.

 

[Droopy Dog]

Azamax is fine if you just want to battle them.

BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis), if you want to eradicate them.

It is a naturally occurring bacillus that only affects caterpillars. They eat it (it's applied to the foliage), it locks up their gut and they die.

Simple, easy and it works.

DD