Bugs on Oleander! (flowers, grown, palm, front yard)

[oceandreams94]

Help! I have these orange/yellowish caterpillars with black spikes on my oleander, and they are eating it up! What can I do to get rid of them? Does anyone else have them on their flowers here in Florida?

[Lilybeans]

Ah, the dreaded Oleander fly. Soon they will turn into the ugly black and white fly. You could spray the Oleanders, with either plant bug spray or a mixture of a little dish soap and water.

Oleander catepillars are one of the reasons I got rid of Oleanders. That and the leaves are poisonous.

[2bohemians]

We don't use Oleander for this reason ... and it's toxic ... but we had a neighbor who put baby ones out ... the bugs came right away and chewed them all up .... but remarkably after that first year, it seems like they haven't been back and the baby oleanders have all grown up now .....

Also, just as a heads up --- be careful of the sago palm berries -- they are toxic to pets and maybe children too ...

[Racelady88]

I got tired of fighting them and removed my oleanders. Didn't matter how much I sprayed, they kept coming back.

[tallrick]

Sevin dust will eliminate the caterpillars. A chain saw eliminates the whole problem. Sometimes you get lucky and parasitic wasps and birds keep the caterpillars to a minimum.

[oceandreams94]

ugh, thanks for the suggestions. I love my oleander.

[ssg II]

Gave mine a healthy dose of sevin spray (first time in years) and they're fine & blooming. My dogs have never chewed plants, but I only have oleander in the front yard, JIC. Interesting story: oleander.org

[harry chickpea]

Everyone send mousey11 their Oleander caterpillars. After he handles a few (just before he dies) he'll realize how much nature loves us.