Caterpillars destroyed my Passiflora

[frogparty]

There are dozens of large purple/green caterpillars with huge black spines DEMOLISHING my passion flower vine.

So pissed. The cats are neat looking though.

 

[brancsikia339]

There are dozens of large purple/green caterpillars with huge black spines DEMOLISHING my passion flower vine.

So pissed. The cats are neat looking though.

They're prob gulf fritillaries

 

[CoolMantid]

Gulf Fritillaries. Now what type of passiflora was it?

Fruiting or non fruiting?

You can spray the plant but if you want fruits I wouldnt recommend it.

PM me if you despretly need help

 

[CoolMantid]

If you kno the exact species of Passiflora that would be even better

 

[Termite48]

Is it an established Passiflora Vine? If so, and if the main stem or trunk of it is strong enough, and if the catterpillars have migrated to it, you can place a ring of some of the commercial "tanglefoot" type preparations at the base where the catterpillars would come to your vine. If the vine is touching other plants, try to separate them so there can be no crawling from one plant to your Passion Flower vine.

 

[frogparty]

Its an ornamental passion vine. Just two years old. Maybe I'll get my revenge by letting the cats pupate and feed the butterflies to my Deroplatys

 

[brancsikia339]

Maybe I'll get my revenge by letting the cats pupate and feed the butterflies to my Deroplatys

muahahahahahahaahaha :devil2:

 

[CoolMantid]

Ornamental Passion Vines grow strikingly fast. I have to say that its my fastest growing plant in my garden. They recover very fast and love full sun. Depending on the color of the flower the passion vine may contain toxins which will be inside the butterflies adult body so I wouldnt recommend feeding them. Honestly I keep the caterpillars but if you dont like them you can get a bucket of soap and just drop the caterpillars in it. They die quickly this way. You cant stop the caterpillars from coming back though. Gulf Fritillaries lay on everything. Even sprayed vines.

Is it an established Passiflora Vine? If so, and if the main stem or trunk of it is strong enough, and if the catterpillars have migrated to it, you can place a ring of some of the commercial "tanglefoot" type preparations at the base where the catterpillars would come to your vine. If the vine is touching other plants, try to separate them so there can be no crawling from one plant to your Passion Flower vine.

Im not sure what your trying to say. The butterflies lay eggs on the plant. If it is eating your vine then it has to be Gulf Fritillary caterpillars. Any caterpillar rarely leave their hostplant. So they wouldnt leave their food plant until its time to take their "walk" to pupation.

2 years is enough time for a passion vine to become hardy and stable.

 

[Termite48]

If the case as that is the host for any species of butterfly, where they lay eggs on it, my organic approach is not going to make sense to you. I did not have enough background about it to venture anything. I should have asked question like someone wise does. There, the only thing that I know is that if knowing this is going to happen in advance, such as next year, you could spray the plant every few days with a "Safer Soap" product to discouraged caterpillars from staying there and eating. Unfortunately the organic preparations without the added oils and contents as Ortho products have are not going to hang around very long. I know that you could use some toxic systemics that might work. I would be very interested in aqcuiring a Passiflora Vine, either a cutting, or seeds. I tried seeds this Spring, but I had no luck in the germination process. I could trade you some nice Pseudocrobotra wahlbergii.

 

[CoolMantid]

No no i understand. At my Local Garden Center. Their plants are sprayed every 2 weeks and I see dead caterpillars on the floor from it. Butterflies seem to still lay even though it is sprayed.

All Ornamental Passiflora plants are host plants for gulf fritillaries. (Excluding Red Passiflora plants, they have a poisonous toxin)

Passion Vine seeds can take up to a year to germinate. So dont get your hopes down after a month. I just had 6 passion vines germinate when I was on vacation. Which was quite the suprise. How do you sow them into the dirt? I water twice a week which keeps it moist for most of the time. Great plants. I have one fruiting vine that is doing wonderful. Not caterpillars on it though

 

[frogparty]

Rich, I'll take a bunch of cuttings and trade you.

Anyone want any gulf frit cats?

 

[CoolMantid]

I have enough as it is lol.

I have never had cuttings root for me.

 

[Crazy4mantis]

Holy cow on a cupcake hertarem45, you have 36th generation frits?!?!

 

[CoolMantid]

Yup. Fun story. Since mid 5th grade. Its very fun but a heck of a lot of work. I should make a post of that.

One strong bloodline. Which has been doing weirdly since my fire

 

[frogparty]

They have killed my plant. Every leaf....gone. All flowers chewed beyond recognition. Caterpillar ###### everywhere under the plant. Screw these guys, can't wait for them to pupate so I can feed them to a mantis

 

[CoolMantid]

Eh. They do that. If you want to raise them you need at least 15 vines

 

[frogparty]

they are starting to pupate now!! wahahahahaha death to those spiny *******s

 

[brancsikia339]

You are soo evil!!!!!!! I would do the same if they were cabbage whites

 

[CoolMantid]

Cabbage whites are adorable!!!