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+--- Thread: nettle caterpillars (/showthread.php?tid=1415)
nettle caterpillars - keiregan - 09-27-2007
I was working in my garden in hawaiian shores when i was stung by one of these buggers. It doesn't feel good i tell ya. Didn't even know they existed until then. Anyway does anyone know how to kill them? Remedy for the sting?
thanks
RE: nettle caterpillars - rbonplaza - 09-27-2007
Here is one article that gives some answers to both questions. http://www.hawaii-county.com/weeklynewsletter/archives/2005/091605.htm#caterpillar
This was from July 07:
"Biological Control. In a joint project between
the UH College of Tropical Agriculture and
Human Resources (CTAHR) and the HDOA,
exploration for natural enemies to control the
nettle caterpillar was undertaken. In October
2004, a beneficial parasitic wasp that attacks
the caterpillar stage of the nettle caterpillar was
collected in Taiwan by former HDOA Plant Pest
Control Branch Chief L. Nakahara. Host
specificity testing in the HDOA Quarantine
Facility is nearing completion."
Edited by - rbonplaza on 09/27/2007 11:26:26
Edited by - rbonplaza on 09/27/2007 11:27:03
Edited by - rbonplaza on 09/27/2007 11:53:18
RE: nettle caterpillars - rbonplaza - 09-27-2007
Here's another, and I would suggest over-the-counter Benedryl to counter the histamines.
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/IP-22.pdf
RE: nettle caterpillars - JerryCarr - 09-27-2007
I just brought forward another thread with pretty comprehensive overview of treating the bites. Look for "Mysterious Bug Bites."
Cheers,
Jerry
RE: nettle caterpillars - Greg - 09-27-2007
We just experienced an outbreak of these nasty critters at our house. My wife had a mysterious bite and we noticed them a couple of days later. Investigation provided us with pictures of the caterpillar, and the moth as well. We found a bacterial insecticide called Bacillus Thiensis (BT) was very effective and not as dangerous around pets or people. It's available at the feed store in Pahoa, or Garden Exchange in Hilo. The BC works on the caterpilar, and just about anything works on the moth. They were gone the next day, but I plan on doing a follow up in a week or so. We were lucky in that they seemed to be contained to one area.
RE: nettle caterpillars - keiregan - 09-27-2007
Thanks for the info. Now I have to fight two things in my yard coqui and caterpillars. The battle is on!
RE: nettle caterpillars - bystander - 09-28-2007
Technically the caterpillars sting and don't bite.
RE: nettle caterpillars - rbonplaza - 09-28-2007
Greg, did you report the infestation?
"Report any new infestations of stinging nettle
caterpillar on Hawai‘i to the Hawai‘i Department
of Agriculture (HDOA), Hilo, 974-4140, or the
UH-CTAHR Beaumont Agricultural Research
Center, Hilo, 981-5194."
RE: nettle caterpillars - keiregan - 09-28-2007
I just called to report them in hawaiian shores and they said the have reports all the way to kalapana. He said the bt works pretty good to kill them but takes awhile.