My cucumber plant was thriving, but then (cue the ominous pipe organ) after returning from a long weekend camping trip I discovered that most of its leaves were brown, brittle and what was left of anything green had been chewed to bits. The little culprits blended in so well with the green stems that I didn't spot them right away. Green caterpillars, those jerks! Once I discovered the first onme I was able to quickly spot 2 more, lounging on their green couch, being all fat and happy. Their vicious little bite marks were visible on the only small fruit that had started growing.
In researching cucumber culprits, I've narrowed it down to cabbage loopers - green inchworm style caterpillars. I found varying sources on what the adult species is, either nocturnal brown moth or cabbage white butterfly
All sources said that the cabbage looper is "very destructive" to plants due to its "voracious consumption" of leaves. Watch out plants!
Solutions: One suggestion is to attract beneficial insects by planting flowers, such as marigolds, calendula, sunflower, daisy, alyssum or dill nearby. These plants attract insects that attack and kill cabbage loopers and cabbage butterflies.
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/pests/insects-diseases-weeds/stop-cabbage-loopers/
Another solution is to cover the plant with netting to keep the insects out.
Photos above by J. Zacarias
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