Worms That Eat Blueberry Bushes

Types

• Various types of worms infest and feed on blueberry plants. Some of these include cranberry worms, cherry fruit worms, leaf rollers, blueberry maggots and the larvae of any flying insect that may be attracted to the blueberry bush. Worms on blueberry bushes range in size from small and difficult to see to large and caterpillar-like. Colors are just as varied, with worms in shades of green, brown, white and yellow. These worms often emerge from eggs laid on blueberry bush leaves by adult flying insects.

Damage

• Some types of worms found on blueberries only feed on the fruit the bushes produce. These worms eat the flesh of the berries or drink the juices from the berries, while some do both. Other types of worms feed only on the leaves and green stems of the bush, ingesting the foliage and sucking fluids from within leaves and young plant stems. If the infestation is discovered early enough, the damage may be minimal and mostly cosmetic. However, if worms are left to feed and reproduce on the plants, the fruit or plant may be destroyed. Additionally, damage and injury done to the bush leaves it vulnerable to disease.

Treatment

• Spray your bushes with an appropriate insecticide as soon as worms are discovered. Use a product formulated for the specific type of pest you must eliminate, and choose a product that is safe for blueberry bushes. Always follow product directions. Organic insecticides are available. Also, try introducing beneficial insects, such as wasps, into your garden to kill any worms on the plants. Manually removing worms from the bushes is also acceptable, but this method is most effective when combined with pesticide use.

Prevention

• Keep a close watch on your blueberry bushes, inspecting them regularly for signs of worm infestations. Spray bushes with insecticide regularly to prevent infestations from occurring in the first place. Be sure to check the undersides of leaves as well as the upper surfaces. Place traps such as tape strips or liquid pheromone traps throughout your blueberry bushes to attract and capture pests before they have a chance to become a problem.