What the heck is this!?

[glider14]

found inside my Sarracenia pitchers. they stop up the opening with like a bown webbing. and then i open them up and there are these worms and poo pellets all over the inside of the pitcher. WHAT IS IT! and how do i kill them!?

Alex

[Deleted]

its some sort of catipillar or fly larva..... its probally using your plant as a safe place to pupate and grow.....as to killing them im not sure....youd probally have to find out what kind of larva it is then spray an insecticide that would kill the adult


you can ask the nice people at [e-mail] and they may be able to identify what it is

here is there website whatsthatbug.com/

[Not a Number]

Looks like the dreaded Exyra moth larvae to me:

bugguide.net/node/view/52018/bgpage
bugguide.net/node/view/40429/bgpage

Some people just squeeze the pitcher tube until they hear/feel the larvae/pupae pop.

They are supposed to be fairly easy to control with insecticides. A contact spray like Pyrethrin combined with a systemic should do the trick. BT will take care of them as long as they are still in the larval stage.

[glider14]

will a hard winter kill off eggs? are eggs layed in rhizomes? if i just cut and dispose of the pitchers(burn?) will they be back next year?
Alex

[jm82792]

I remember somewhat that they ruin the pitchers and make them die,
I sorta lost my savage garden book look in there if you have one.

[Not a Number]

The natural range for Exyra fax is from NJ to FL and west through AL. In Canada Newfoundland - Nova Scotia - Manitoba
Exyra ridingsii (which appears to be what you have) ranges from NC to FL and west though MS
Exyra semicrocea ranges NJ-FL-TX

They would be adapted to survive typical winter conditions in these areas. I would either remove all the larvae manually or treat with an insecticide. BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) is very effective but must be ingested by the larvae so if the insect has progressed to the pupae or adult stage it will have no effect.

BT see: www.homestead.com/ipmofalaska/files/BTprofile.html

Exyra moth:
www.funet.com/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/noctuoidea/noctuidae/plusiinae/exyra/index.html#MNA25.1
www.daltonstate.edu/galeps/list%20page%20folder/Noctuidae.htm

You can read about how Exyra fax operates here:
findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3845/is_200601/ai_n17183701

Exyra fax is specific to Sarracenia purpurea but the modus operandi of the other Exyra species is similar. The larvae eat pitchers from the inside, the adults sip nectar.