I learnt about a new insect today; rather a larve : the Red Pierrot Caterpillar.
I had got this beautiful Kalanchoe sapling from Raigad, which I had seen for the first time in my life and without knowing what plant was it, I picked up the sapling, looking at its beautiful vibrant flowers!
After almost a year, it flowered and I was all happy, until last week, I suddenly saw that their condition was not so good. I was out of station for 4 days and had told my maid to water all the plants regularly while I was away.. I forgot to mention not to water the cactus and succulents on a daily basis! So, the first thing that struck to me was that I did a mistake and probably she watered them regularly as any other plant and so the succulents are rotting and that made my heart crunch.
Suddenly it struck me to shout out in "Cactus and Succulent India" FB group and I am so grateful for them, that I was able to rescue my plants and learn something new!
It was not due to hot summer or overwatering, it was these tiny Red Pierrot larvas moving all around and inside of the Kalanchoe leaves and gulping up the flesh inside the leaves, that would leave only empty leaf cover and which would dry up after 1-2 days, giving us a look as if they dried up due to too much of direct sun or due to overwatering!
See how intelligently they get inside the leaf, start munching and move around the leaf, leaving behind their poop! :-P
I found 17 of them in 4 plants and removed all the affected leaves and discarded them all.
If you wish to grow them, leave them as host plants and they could turn into butterflies one day. I was not so kind hearted this time, as this was my first time on my favorite plant and I could not take the shock. Hopefully I will get more forgiving in future, as I have learnt to be forgiving on my cauliflower munching insects!
So, next time you see such a mysterious way your succulents are dying, do make a closer check!
I had got this beautiful Kalanchoe sapling from Raigad, which I had seen for the first time in my life and without knowing what plant was it, I picked up the sapling, looking at its beautiful vibrant flowers!
After almost a year, it flowered and I was all happy, until last week, I suddenly saw that their condition was not so good. I was out of station for 4 days and had told my maid to water all the plants regularly while I was away.. I forgot to mention not to water the cactus and succulents on a daily basis! So, the first thing that struck to me was that I did a mistake and probably she watered them regularly as any other plant and so the succulents are rotting and that made my heart crunch.
Suddenly it struck me to shout out in "Cactus and Succulent India" FB group and I am so grateful for them, that I was able to rescue my plants and learn something new!
It was not due to hot summer or overwatering, it was these tiny Red Pierrot larvas moving all around and inside of the Kalanchoe leaves and gulping up the flesh inside the leaves, that would leave only empty leaf cover and which would dry up after 1-2 days, giving us a look as if they dried up due to too much of direct sun or due to overwatering!
See how intelligently they get inside the leaf, start munching and move around the leaf, leaving behind their poop! :-P
I found 17 of them in 4 plants and removed all the affected leaves and discarded them all.
If you wish to grow them, leave them as host plants and they could turn into butterflies one day. I was not so kind hearted this time, as this was my first time on my favorite plant and I could not take the shock. Hopefully I will get more forgiving in future, as I have learnt to be forgiving on my cauliflower munching insects!
So, next time you see such a mysterious way your succulents are dying, do make a closer check!
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