What to do about green larvae eating my azaleas - Ask Extension
My azaleas are flowering well, but I noticed that on some plants, the leaves are almost entirely eaten. I found little green worms/caterpillars when I...
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What to do about green larvae eating my azaleas #868555
Asked May 15, 2024, 1:27 PM EDT
My azaleas are flowering well, but I noticed that on some plants, the leaves are almost entirely eaten. I found little green worms/caterpillars when I spray with my insecticidal soap. How do I get rid of these completely? And how can I make these plants healthy again?
Clackamas County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for your questions. This appears to be either the larva of the sawfly, described here: https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/hort/landscape/hosts-pests-landscape-plants/azalea-rhododendron-azalea-sawfly
or the leafroller: https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/hort/nursery/hosts-nursery/azalea-rhododendron-obliquebanded-leafroller
I'm afraid that the photo of the larva isn't clear enough to differentiate, and I am uncertain whether there are any rolled leaves. Regardless, the control strategies are the same: monitor for, remove and destroy them while they are still in the "chewing stage", so they don't mature to create next year's pests. Good luck!
or the leafroller: https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/hort/nursery/hosts-nursery/azalea-rhododendron-obliquebanded-leafroller
I'm afraid that the photo of the larva isn't clear enough to differentiate, and I am uncertain whether there are any rolled leaves. Regardless, the control strategies are the same: monitor for, remove and destroy them while they are still in the "chewing stage", so they don't mature to create next year's pests. Good luck!
