Getting rid of millipedes that are infesting plants in garden

[Wrichik Basu]

We have a small garden on our terrace. Today, when I went to water the plants, I found that some flower plants had their leaves turned translucent, i.e., they had lost all the chlorophyll. Upon looking closely, I found these millipedes having their lunch off the leaves:

Till now, only one plant has been affected, and I separated that pot from the others.

How do I get rid of these? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[jim mcnamara]

Those do not seem like millipedes to me. It may be the resolution.
Try:
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=black+millipede+india
for comparison.

If you can, post a closer view of one of your unwanted visitors. Why? Millipedes generally eat decaying matter. If they are larvae (caterpillars) and not millipedes, try neem oil:
https://www.thebetterindia.com/2071...nts-pest-attack-organic-pesticides-diy-india/

 

[JT Smith]

Another approach is to use BtK, a commonly found bacillus that is lethal to caterpillars. You dilute it with water and spray it onto the plants. It's pretty safe. It doesn't kill the caterpillers immediately but kill them it does. You can find it in liquid form at garden shops.

Of course as long as their flying mothers have access to your plants you'll have to continue to occasionally reapply the solution.

 

[jedishrfu]

It may be some kind of fly larvae in which case you'll have lots of flies about.

https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/7089-black-soldier-fly-larvae-in-pet-food-also-help-people

The article has an example of black soldier fly larvae found in dog food.

and this article suggests lime or lemon poured on them:

https://www.mymove.com/pest-control/remove-maggots/

 

[BillTre]

Longer term solution:
If you have a lot of infectable plants in an area, you could set up a place for wasps to make a nest. I have used an old aquarium standing on end which provides a nice dry area for them to build a nest. Many kinds of wasp will predate upon caterpillars near by. This has worked great for my vegetable garden where caterpillars were virtually eliminated.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Some more pictures. My 60x camera was being unable to focus at full zoom on the leaves, though it could easily focus when pointed at the floor of the terrace. This is the closest I could get with Macro:

If they are larvae (caterpillars) and not millipedes, try neem oil:

Ordered this, anyway. They are eating the hell out of the leaves.

It may be some kind of fly larvae in which case you'll have lots of flies about.

We don't have many flies around.

 

[hutchphd]

Another approach is to use BtK, a commonly found bacillus that is lethal to caterpillars.

I think BTK was a serial murderer in the pacific northwest!
I have used Bt on the green cabbage looper and the tomato hornworm with good result. Those loopers were hard to pick off the broccoli and I believe Bt is completely innocuous (unless perhaps you are Mothra ) I actually don't know whether it bad for butterflies or their larvae.

 

[Rive]

As a first aid: these seems to be the right size for some work with a tweezer.
Fast, efficient.
Check if they are some local breed (likely there will be different sized ones) or they migrated from somewhere nearby.

 

[OmCheeto]

Comparing your latest image to google images tells me they may be Indian Lily Moth caterpillars.
Wiki states the following regarding their control: "They can be controlled using pesticides such as malathion and azadirachtin. Biological control can be used through the fungus Metarhizium and a tachinid fly."

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Somehow forgot about this thread. Here's the update: I ordered the Neem oil, which I had mentioned in post #6. I mixed it at twice the concentration stated on the packet, and sprayed every day for one week, completely covering the leaves and the soil too. Surprisingly, when I sprayed, the ones that were eating and directly received the oil became somewhat inactive. After one week, I couldn't find them, neither in the soil nor on the leaves. Probably the birds helped in cleaning off the bodies. The plants are doing fine and recovering.

 

[jedishrfu]

Thanks for the update. Neem oil is great.