Jute semilooper
Green looping caterpillars eat the top leaves and buds, leaving ragged leaves and shoots that branch.
Crops it attacks
Where the damage shows
When to act
Check the tops of 20 plants at 5 spots weekly. Act when more than 1 in 4 plants carries young loopers eating the top leaves.
What to spray
Active ingredients only, never brands. The IRAC group tells how it works: switch to a different group next time, so the pest does not learn to survive it. Spray only when the damage is worth the cost, and only with products registered with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority for your crop. Follow the label. The Shopee and Lazada links only show who sells something with that active ingredient, not a recommendation of any seller or product.
How to prevent it
- Handpick the loopers on small plots, mostly from the young tops.
- Remove weeds of the same family, such as wild jute and Sida, around the field.
- Plow under crop remains after harvest to destroy pupae.
- Do not plant saluyot after saluyot in the same plot.
Natural enemies and biological help
- Small wasps, spiders and birds take many loopers. Bt kills young ones and spares these helpers.
Where this comes from
Not sure it is this one?
Many pests look alike. Send a photo to Anee, the smart farm technician in anee.io. She reads it with your crop, its age and the weather, and tells you what it most likely is and what to do first. In Tagalog or English.