11 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Caterpillars on Plants

Most people think that caterpillars can’t cause too much damage in a garden. After all, they’re cute and fuzzy, and turn into beautiful butterflies and moths — how bad could they be?

It turns out that they are very hungry leaf-eating worms that can quickly destroy many of your crops. They will devour tomatoes and the bases or heads of broccoli, cauliflower, basil, lettuce, and cabbage without getting noticed.

Here’s how to get rid of caterpillars naturally.

1. Soap and Water

An inexpensive remedy to stop little green caterpillars from eating your plants is soap and water.

Completely dissolve a small amount of organic liquid soap in warm water. Next, pour the solution into a spray bottle. Finally, spray your vegetables, nasturtiums, roses, or whichever plants they are eating.

Does soapy water kill caterpillars? No, it doesn’t. The mixture won’t harm them or your plants but will create a slippery surface that discourages or stops them from walking on or eating your plants.

While regular soap will not cause death, a potent insecticidal brand will get the job done. Follow the instructions on the bottle.

2. Organic B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis)

B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis) is a naturally occurring bacteria that is found in the soil.

This bacteria contains a protein that is highly toxic to certain insect pests such as hairy caterpillars (higad) and mosquito larvae. It breaks down in their gut, causing them to die of infection and starvation.

Though Bt insecticide is toxic to these critters, it is non-toxic to humans, animals, and beneficial garden insects such as ladybugs.

B.t. is also safe to use in your organic garden, though all produce should be washed thoroughly before consumption. Look for an organic brand or one with the OMRI (Organic Materials Research Institute) stamp.

3. Neem Oil

Neem oil is a great natural pesticide for controlling caterpillars in the garden. Additionally, it will keep tomato worms, cabbage worms, and other garden pests away.

Dilute 2 ounces of neem oil in one gallon of water. Next, shake well and apply to the affected plants. It will kill leaf-eating caterpillars within hours.

4. Pepper and Garlic Mixture

This potent mixture is a home remedy that kills caterpillars. It also works well as a natural repellent for other plant-eating worms, aphids, and cabbage moths.

Combine 1 tablespoon of dried red pepper flakes, 1 whole bulb of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of liquid soap, and a full gallon of water.

Blend and then let the mixture stand for at least 24 hours. Spray wherever needed to keep these hungry eaters and their friends off of your plants.

5. Chili Spray

This is another effective DIY remedy for getting rid of caterpillars outside your house. Read 13 Homemade Caterpillar Repellent Sprays.

Combine 3 ½ ounces of ground chili pepper with ½ gallon of boiling water. Let it boil for five minutes then remove from heat. Next, add ½ gallon of cold water and 2-3 drops of liquid soap.

Stir well, and let the mixture sit and cool for a few hours. Try it on a small section of an affected plant, then check it after 24 hours. If there are no adverse effects, then use it all over the plants as needed.

6. Create a Habitat Friendly to Birds

One caterpillar killer method that does not require effort and works great for affected tall trees is attracting birds. In case you’ve forgotten your basics about birds, they like to eat crawly things.

They are also the perfect helpers to control sawflies and their larvae. If you see small leaf-eating caterpillars on your roses, gooseberry bush, or hibiscus, they might be sawfly larvae.

Install a birdhouse and/or put some feed near affected trees and the birds will fly in and eat the critters.

Point to note: this is not the best idea if the caterpillars are on apple trees or other fruit trees at home, as it will likely entice more birds to eat the fruits.

Additionally, if you have space, keep chickens near your garden. Let them wander throughout your yard and around the house to take care of bad garden worms and other pest problems.

7. Vinegar Solution 

Vinegar can be used as a great insecticide and natural pesticide to deter many types of insects and related pests that destroy crops. A light vinegar solution will keep away the critters.

Mix 2 tablespoons with 4 liters of water and spray where those fat green worms are visible eating the leaves or other parts of your plant. Raw vinegar can also eradicate snails and slugs if sprayed on them.

8. Use Burlap

Another great strategy for protecting trees from caterpillars is the burlap barrier band trap.

Wrap a piece of burlap (about 12 inches tall) around the tree. Next, tie twine or rope around the middle to fasten it to the tree. Now drop the top half of the burlap over the rope or twine so it hangs over the bottom half.

They will then crawl under the “shade” during the heat of the day. Once they are all under the burlap covering, squish them or remove them by hand.

9. Cover Your Plants

You can use a thin mesh covering to cover your plants to keep off caterpillars and other crawly pests.

Row covers can also prevent moths and butterflies from laying their eggs on your crops, which can prevent a caterpillar insect infestation from ever arising.

10. Complement Your Plants

Certain types of plants will naturally repel caterpillars and other pests and can easily be incorporated into your vegetable garden or flower bed to keep them away.

Peppermint, lavender, mugwort, and sage are some of the most potent plants that repel garden caterpillars.

Not to mention, these smell great and are easy to maintain. Plus, you can quickly incorporate them into many of your dishes.

11. Remove Them By Hand

An easy method to get rid of tomato hornworms, gypsy moth larvae, bagworms, armyworms, and other harmful insect larvae is to remove them by hand.

Afterward, you can either squish them or place them elsewhere in your yard. They are unlikely to return, as long as you move them far enough away.

For tent caterpillars, drop the webs or nests into a bag and dispose of the bag. Be careful not to touch them. Otherwise, you might develop rashes that are itchy and painful if those tiny hairs prick you.

Other Organic Caterpillar Control Methods

• Spraying them with enough water to drown them can also be an easy fix.
• Look for the eggs and dispose of them immediately.
• Make sure that you don’t have any sort of lights on in your garden or flower bed at night. Lights will attract moths, which may then lay their eggs on your plants.
• Buy caterpillar control pesticides such as Molt-X, JMS Stylet Oil, Diatomaceous Earth, and Monterey Spinosad. These products are OMRI-listed, which means that they are safe for use in organic gardening.

Caterpillar infestation is one of the biggest problems that organic farmers face in some areas like Australia and Florida. Besides, some are even poisonous. If left alone, they can cause a lot of damage, even laying eggs for their future generations to continue the trend.

Be sure to check your tomato plants, pepper plants, and other crops regularly. If you think you have an issue, follow these natural solutions for getting rid of the cute critters.