How to Kill Inch Worms

Inchworms can be pests in your garden.

Inchworms get their name because when they are larvae, they're about an inch long. If you have inchworms in your garden, they can prove to be quite a problem, because they enjoy burrowing holes into fruits and vegetables. They also enjoy dining on plants. However, there is a simple, effective, and most importantly, relatively safe way to kill them using an easy-to-apply insecticide.

Things You'll Need

• Bacillus thuringiensis
• Water
• Plastic bucket , one or two gallon size
• Plastic spray bottle
• Bird-attracting plants
• Garden hose

Instructions

1. Make a mixture of Bacillus thuringiensis (a biological insecticide) and water. Add three teaspoons of the insecticide to every gallon of water. Mix it up in the plastic bucket and place it in a plastic gardening spray bottle that can be attached to a garden hose.

    

2. Spray this mixture on your plants. When spraying, the hose should be at least 12 inches away from the plants. It's best to spray the plants during the evenings to avoid sun spots on the plants. Spray the plants once every three days, until there are no more inchworms left alive.

    

3. Grow plants that attract birds, which in turn will eat the inchworms. A good method of getting rid of inchworms that requires no chemical pesticides is to grow flowers such as junipers, sunflowers and marigolds. These will bring birds that will eat the inchworms when they visit your garden.

    

References

• All About Worms: How to Get Rid of Inchworms