caterpillars having a fine time in bulb stems

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pamela

  • Sr. Member
caterpillars having a fine time in bulb stems
« on: September 01, 2011, 08:14:57 AM »
My first Urginea maritima appeared last week, just starting to shoot up, unopened. I noticed today that the flower head had flopped over and on inspection I saw that an insect had eaten into the stem just below the flower.  I stripped open the stem and found at least a dozen tiny (less than .5mm)  white and brown striped caterpillars running up and down the stem.  I was so disappointed. I am wondering if this a problem for all bulbs or just Urginea.  Has anyone seen this before and if so how can I prevent further catastrophes!
Jávea, Costa Blanca, Spain
Min temp 5c max temp 38c  Rainfall 550 mm 

"Who passes by sees the leaves;
 Who asks, sees the roots."
     - Charcoal Seller, Madagascar

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MikeHardman

  • Hero Member
    • www.mikehardman.com
Re: caterpillars having a fine time in bulb stems
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2011, 09:31:47 PM »
Urginea maritima flowering well here in Cyprus now.
« Last Edit: September 26, 2011, 09:55:43 PM by MikeHardman »
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

ezeiza

  • Full Member
Re: caterpillars having a fine time in bulb stems
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2011, 09:37:36 PM »
You seem to be describing the amaryllis caterpillar. Too disturbing to think that it can also attack other bulbs.