They look like milkweed tussock caterpillars? Pollenator moths, but their hairs can sting so be careful. I’m sorry they’re on your basil, but they are overall beneficial
Kelly_Funk
Those tiny caterpillars are most likely armyworms. Beet armyworm is a common pest on basil. They hatch in clusters and feed together, which is why you’re seeing a whole little herd on one leaf. The black specks are likely frass (caterpillar poop). Remove them ASAP because they can strip tender basil fast.
Pinch off the affected leaves/tips and toss them in soapy water or bag them. Check nearby leaf undersides for more caterpillars or eggs, then rinse the plant well and re-check. Hand-picking daily for a few days is usually enough on a small basil plant. I’d skip the badly chewed leaves, but the healthy ones are fine after a good wash.
Good thing you caught it now!
derelicthat
I don’t have an answer, but I love your nail polish! Could you share the brand and shade?
Rimworldjobs
I guess you need to plant more basil
_ghostperson
Oh they dead.
They would be food for my fishes so damn fast.
Also, nice nails. 💅👸
belveala
Man I really want a garden but I can’t mess with this stuff, really unfortunate.
Davelon222
Hungry.
AngrythingBagel
Time for some insecticidal soap
Oldguydad619
BT them! Caterpillar killer.
wherearewewhatthehel
Literally the reason why I threw away my fucking plant!!! The worst.
Always_Late_05
Can you provide ageneral location for identification?
ExtraCaucasian
Looks like Looper worms, I just had an outbreak recently and treated everything with BT.
VerdantSelemon
Those look like caterpillars/larvae of some kind and a LOT of them They’re definitely the reason that basil leaf is getting demolished.
I’d honestly remove that entire leaf immediately and check the undersides of nearby leaves too because there are probably more eggs or clusters hiding. A strong spray of water or hand removal usually works well for basil since most people prefer avoiding heavy pesticides on herbs they eat.
Also curious did you notice moths or little white butterflies around the plant recently? That many larvae usually means something laid a whole batch of eggs there.
Maoleficent
They look Italian to me.
Sure-Ad-1798
Hungry, hungry caterpillars 🐛
AcrobaticEmergency42
Extra protein? /s
Mother-Confidence100
Sorry but I just came here to say your nails are sooooo fricken cute!!!!!!
daisylover18
Maybe a neighbor with a bird feeder would love to have them?
aagent888
Those are caterpillars which will either feed baby birds or become adult moths (which may also feed birds, bats or other wildlife). They may eat the basil down to stem but in no way would they kill it. Unless you need a whole plant worth of basil in the next couple weeks consider leaving them. Once they’ve had their fill, they’ll go off and make a cocoon somewhere else…unless some lucky mama birds find them first.
Your basil will come back bushier and full of life
Careless-Meringue683
Just some baby caterpillars! Basil don’t cost you much, put them aside and let them eat.
yoitsme_obama17
Protein
jenet-zayquah
🤮🤮🤮🤮
Rare_Indication_3811
would ladybugs deal with them?
radastrozombie
I’m not 100% but I use BT spray for little caterpillars in my garden and it works amazing. I’d give that a shot.
eBokTheEwok
Looks like rose slugs or sawfly larvae to me. I’ve been dealing with them as well. Although much fewer quantity
SlightlyBurntToast3
Oh, they are feasting!
BeeAlley
From personal experience, most of them will not make it to maturity. Those are snacks for your beneficial critters.
Slarty8artfast
Burn them all!
flaps_mcgee
I’d say they’re hungry
cannabussi
Extra protein 😛
Adampicz
Flavor?
high_Smile_2795
I don’t know but I’m sure they love pesto
AsterFlauros
Oh my god. I thought this was r/nails and the title was “What are these bugs under my nail”. My phone is on the dimmest setting so the color of the basil isn’t too different from that of your beautiful nail. It briefly registered as the underside of a nail with fungus or something. 😱
PaintTheKill
Last year cabbage worms were making my broccoli leaves disappear, practically overnight. They get huge after a few days chomping down the leaves. I would feed them to my fish after plucking them by hand but the moths kept laying their eggs. Every single leaf had egg sacs. It was crazy.
I found a Reddit post about someone using Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacteria you can buy that is sold as a biological pesticide for several caterpillar species that generally invade a garden. After it is sprayed on the leaves and allowed to dry, the caterpillars that eat contaminated leaves will die because the bacteria has evolved to parasitize caterpillars and nematodes. It kills them and eats them within a da. It’s safe for humans, animals and any non caterpillar insects that may eat the leaves. The sun kills the bacteria and nullifies it’s effects. You dilute it quite a bit with water and spray it on at dusk. I would it hit once a week.
This is what my ID app says. I’m not saying it’s 100% accurate, but I am saying it gives a decent idea. If it is these suckers, remember to kill kill kill, crawler!
Agoddess_aboveyou
Spray with 70% isopropyl alcohol and keep it in the shade. It kills eggs and bugs alike of ANYTHING.
Mr-relatable2
Gay bugs 🐛
subalps
All I know is that they demolish leaves like termites go through wood 🙁
40 Comments
They look like milkweed tussock caterpillars? Pollenator moths, but their hairs can sting so be careful. I’m sorry they’re on your basil, but they are overall beneficial
Those tiny caterpillars are most likely armyworms. Beet armyworm is a common pest on basil. They hatch in clusters and feed together, which is why you’re seeing a whole little herd on one leaf. The black specks are likely frass (caterpillar poop). Remove them ASAP because they can strip tender basil fast.
Pinch off the affected leaves/tips and toss them in soapy water or bag them. Check nearby leaf undersides for more caterpillars or eggs, then rinse the plant well and re-check. Hand-picking daily for a few days is usually enough on a small basil plant. I’d skip the badly chewed leaves, but the healthy ones are fine after a good wash.
Good thing you caught it now!
I don’t have an answer, but I love your nail polish! Could you share the brand and shade?
I guess you need to plant more basil
Oh they dead.
They would be food for my fishes so damn fast.
Also, nice nails. 💅👸
Man I really want a garden but I can’t mess with this stuff, really unfortunate.
Hungry.
Time for some insecticidal soap
BT them! Caterpillar killer.
Literally the reason why I threw away my fucking plant!!! The worst.
Can you provide ageneral location for identification?
Looks like Looper worms, I just had an outbreak recently and treated everything with BT.
Those look like caterpillars/larvae of some kind and a LOT of them They’re definitely the reason that basil leaf is getting demolished.
I’d honestly remove that entire leaf immediately and check the undersides of nearby leaves too because there are probably more eggs or clusters hiding. A strong spray of water or hand removal usually works well for basil since most people prefer avoiding heavy pesticides on herbs they eat.
Also curious did you notice moths or little white butterflies around the plant recently? That many larvae usually means something laid a whole batch of eggs there.
They look Italian to me.
Hungry, hungry caterpillars 🐛
Extra protein? /s
Sorry but I just came here to say your nails are sooooo fricken cute!!!!!!
Maybe a neighbor with a bird feeder would love to have them?
Those are caterpillars which will either feed baby birds or become adult moths (which may also feed birds, bats or other wildlife). They may eat the basil down to stem but in no way would they kill it. Unless you need a whole plant worth of basil in the next couple weeks consider leaving them. Once they’ve had their fill, they’ll go off and make a cocoon somewhere else…unless some lucky mama birds find them first.
Your basil will come back bushier and full of life
Just some baby caterpillars! Basil don’t cost you much, put them aside and let them eat.
Protein
🤮🤮🤮🤮
would ladybugs deal with them?
I’m not 100% but I use BT spray for little caterpillars in my garden and it works amazing. I’d give that a shot.
Looks like rose slugs or sawfly larvae to me. I’ve been dealing with them as well. Although much fewer quantity
Oh, they are feasting!
From personal experience, most of them will not make it to maturity. Those are snacks for your beneficial critters.
Burn them all!
I’d say they’re hungry
Extra protein 😛
Flavor?
I don’t know but I’m sure they love pesto
Oh my god. I thought this was r/nails and the title was “What are these bugs under my nail”. My phone is on the dimmest setting so the color of the basil isn’t too different from that of your beautiful nail. It briefly registered as the underside of a nail with fungus or something. 😱
Last year cabbage worms were making my broccoli leaves disappear, practically overnight. They get huge after a few days chomping down the leaves. I would feed them to my fish after plucking them by hand but the moths kept laying their eggs. Every single leaf had egg sacs. It was crazy.
I found a Reddit post about someone using Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacteria you can buy that is sold as a biological pesticide for several caterpillar species that generally invade a garden. After it is sprayed on the leaves and allowed to dry, the caterpillars that eat contaminated leaves will die because the bacteria has evolved to parasitize caterpillars and nematodes. It kills them and eats them within a da. It’s safe for humans, animals and any non caterpillar insects that may eat the leaves. The sun kills the bacteria and nullifies it’s effects. You dilute it quite a bit with water and spray it on at dusk. I would it hit once a week.
https://preview.redd.it/bym32wwz2nzg1.jpeg?width=772&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3125e38b4bcb7694ed383647f4cba5d7e301748
Cross post to r/whatisthisbug !
and again with the basil, I do not believe anything besides a ladybug is good on that plant
https://preview.redd.it/kp9stg28hnzg1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5219872f21a7999bbe451575c68b05471332d638
This is what my ID app says. I’m not saying it’s 100% accurate, but I am saying it gives a decent idea. If it is these suckers, remember to kill kill kill, crawler!
Spray with 70% isopropyl alcohol and keep it in the shade. It kills eggs and bugs alike of ANYTHING.
Gay bugs 🐛
All I know is that they demolish leaves like termites go through wood 🙁