Exterminating Puss Caterpillars, Pg. 5:  Manual methods, where the caterpillars are removed using tongs or a gloved hand, work well, especially when only a few caterpillars are visible and the number of infested bushes is small. For example, in the coffee plantations of Central America, where chemical pesticides would contaminate the coffee beans, such chemicals must be avoided entirely. Yet, I am told that plantation workers sometimes find a small number of puss caterpillars on a few of the coffee trees on the plantation while harvesting the coffee beans. The workers deal with these manually, by shaking them loose and stamping them on the ground, or by picking the caterpillars off, often using a bare hand (not recommended!)

To manually remove the caterpillars from an infested shrub or tree, grasp them with tongs or a gloved hand (heavy rubber gloves are best). Drop each caterpillar into a container of soapy water. A capful of liquid dishwashing detergent in a gallon of warm or hot water produces a solution that immobilizes the caterpillar to prevent it from crawling out of the container, and kills within minutes. Afterward, flush the solution and its load of caterpillars down the drain, then wrap and discard or wash the container thoroughly, and be sure to wash off your gloves before attempting to remove them.  NEXT PAGE. Page Menu:  1  *  2  *  3  *  4  *  5  *  6  *  7  *

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