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Monarda Devastation
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Posted by
a2zmom Z6 - NJ (
My Page) on
Sat, Jul 6, 13 at 10:15
| Ever year without fail, my Monarda "Raspberry Wine" opens within a day or two of July 4th. Desn't matter whether it's been wet or dry, unseasonably hot or oddly cool, the plant seems to flower completely independant of the weater. Well, as usual, it did open on July 4th, but instead of admiring my beautiful plant, every single bloom was ruined - distorted and twisted. The horsemint catepillar had gotten to it. So instead of photographing it, I spent my evening cutting every flower off and squishing every catepillar I found. I'm hoping for a second bloom later in the season, without this scourge ruining my plant. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Monarda Devastation
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| Wow, sorry to hear about your Monarda, I hope this horsemint caterpillar doesn't invade my patches of bee balm! So far the plain red Monarda didyma is the first to open and it seems okay. Finally saw the resident hummingbird on it yesterday. |
RE: Monarda Devastation
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| My beebalm has always had caterpillars. This year I have some beebalm quite a distance from my original spot, and voila! No caterpillars there. I was amazed by how much better they look. I had no idea what those caterpillars were...I'm off to google them. |
RE: Monarda Devastation
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| capecodder, were they gross white cats? More like tiny worms? Becauee that's what I get. I'm hoping by cutting off all the blooms, I'm also removing all the eggs since they hatch inside the flower. |
RE: Monarda Devastation
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| I've had these horsemint caterpillars for about 5 years and I'm finally throwing in the towel. I've tried BT, hand squishing, removing the 1st buds for a second bloom, (that was probably the most effective) but nothing close to how it used to look. I don't want to use a pesticide on something that the bees go to. I'm going to take it out. Very sad. |
RE: Monarda Devastation
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| rosechafer, I don't seem to have the problem every year. Last year I was fine, five years ago I wqs not. |
RE: Monarda Devastation
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| I don't want to use a pesticide on something that the bees go to. Good to hear. |
RE: Monarda Devastation
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| Sorry to hear about your monarda. This year I have a large patch of 'ground cover' monarda because the local deer have develop quite the appetite for it even passing up hosta and phlox in order to graze on the monarda! |
RE: Monarda Devastation
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| trove, it just proves that you never know with deer. After all, conventional wisdom is they pass up anything in the mint family including monarda. |
RE: Monarda Devastation
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| I am finding that with deadheading, the rebloom is not anywhere near as likely to have the caterpillars. |
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