Inchworm eating pines - Ask Extension
Can someone tell me what kind of inchworm is eating this pine ground cover?
Knowledgebase
Inchworm eating pines #869294
Asked May 20, 2024, 2:56 PM EDT
Can someone tell me what kind of inchworm is eating this pine ground cover?
Washington County Minnesota
Expert Response
These are likely the larvae of European Sawflies. I'm attaching a response to a similar question; it hopefully will answer your concerns:
They feed on last year's needles and usually can be removed with a blast of water from a hose. They are short-term feeders - about 2 weeks - and only have one hatching per year (some insects like aphids have several generations per season). There are different kinds of sawflies that can affect other plants, but they can be hosed off as well. No need to remove the plant. Here is an excellent Extension publication about sawflies: http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/sawflies/. Scroll down to the Management section and you'll see different options for control. Again, blasting the insects with water or using insecticidal soap will help manage the populations (note: insecticidal soap will not harm pollinators).
They feed on last year's needles and usually can be removed with a blast of water from a hose. They are short-term feeders - about 2 weeks - and only have one hatching per year (some insects like aphids have several generations per season). There are different kinds of sawflies that can affect other plants, but they can be hosed off as well. No need to remove the plant. Here is an excellent Extension publication about sawflies: http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/sawflies/. Scroll down to the Management section and you'll see different options for control. Again, blasting the insects with water or using insecticidal soap will help manage the populations (note: insecticidal soap will not harm pollinators).
