Enter your search terms:. Also called measuring worms, spanworms, and loopers, inchworms lack appendages in the middle portion of their body, causing them to have a characteristic looping gait. They have three pairs of true legs at the front end, like other caterpillars , but only two or three pairs of prolegs larval abdominal appendages , located at the rear end.
Tip: Many moth species with inchworm larvae overwinter in leaf debris near the plants where they'll feed. Keep gardens, foundation plantings and tree bases free of leaf debris to eliminate these hiding places. Always read product labels and follow the instructions carefully, including guidelines for pre-harvest intervals and edible crops. Toggle navigation GardenTech. Find a Product. Identify Your Pest. About Us. Contact Us. They're actually the caterpillars of various moths belonging to the Geometridae family.
While seeing just one or two inch worms shouldn't be cause for alarm, the voracious eaters can really damage trees and shrubs if they're present in large numbers. Identifying inchworms and treating infestations properly can help you save your landscape plants. Inchworms earned their name because mature caterpillars reach a length of about an inch.
The worms come in a range of colors, but most have bodies in various shades of green, brown, yellow or black. Some worms have white or yellow stripes running down their sides. They move by arching their smooth, hairless bodies, bringing their back legs up to their front legs and then extending their bodies straight out again. Inchworms often stand on their back legs, which makes the pests look like little twigs. Some inchworms, such as fall cankerworms and winter moth larvae, overwinter as eggs on stems or twigs and hatch about the time of bud break.
Males fly, and find the females waiting on tree trunks to mate. Inchworms are prolific and resilient. As larvae they feed on trees, shrubs and crops. They are considered a pest species and are greatly researched.
They are resistant to insecticides: Biological controls such as predatory wasps and infectious fungi are used to control inchworm populations and lessen the damage to trees and crops.
Writing since , her work has appeared on various websites, covering pet-related, environmental, financial and parenting topics. Related Articles Facts About Silkworms. The Life Cycle of the Mullein Moth. Facts on Caterpillars. The Life Cycle of Thrips.
0コメント