I have found a caterpillar in my rootless lettuce. I'm a vegetarian. How can I save it?

Question

I would like to take both lettuce and caterpillar out to the garden, but the lettuce, having no roots, would not support the caterpillar for long. Fortunately there was another lettuce from our organic delivery to go with our pizza tonight. Can it only eat lettuce or can it also eat other green plants or grass?

Answer 1

It completely depends on the species of caterpillar. That caterpillar may not be a lettuce eater to begin with. You can't assume that because you found it on the lettuce that lettuce is its food plant. So, the first thing you need to do is try to identify the caterpillar and then you can find it's food source.

Here are sites that I've used many times and can help you identify your caterpillar:
http://www.whatsthiscaterpillar.co.uk/
http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3Fei%3DUTF-8%26p%3Dpictures%2Bof%2Bwhite%2Bfurry%2Bcaterpillars&w=1024&h=768&imgurl=www.richard-seaman.com%2FWallpaper%2FNature%2FCaterpillars%2FFurryWhiteCaterpillarWithOrangeSpiracles.jpg&size=264.9&name=FurryWhiteCaterpillarWithOrangeSpiracles.jpg&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.richard-seaman.com%2FWallpaper%2FNature%2FCaterpillars&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.richard-seaman.com%2FWallpaper%2FNature%2FCaterpillars&p=white+furry+caterpillars&type=jpeg&no=1&tt=3

Here are sites that will identify the food plants for your caterpillar:
http://www.butterflyschool.org/teacher/raising.html
http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1701.htm

Answer 2

Do Caterpillars Eat Lettuce

Answer 3

Caterpillars don't last that long, anyway. The lettuce is probably good enough to support it until it decides to cocoon. Put the lettuce in a shady place, and mist it with water twice a day.

Actually, you could keep it in an old fish tank, cover the top with a screen, and keep the caterpillar supplied with fresh lettuce (and mist it for moisture) and see if it turns into a butterfly. Great science project if you have kids . . . .

Good luck.

Answer 4

Step 1: Remove the caterpillar and put it outside. Step 2: wash the lettuce thoroughly. Step 3: Eat delicious, creepy-crawly-free lettuce.

Answer 5

Amanda6

My kind of girl. Thanks, I feel the same. Cannot give you advice on this one as I would just leave it alone and let nature take its course. If your garden is out in the open some bright eyed insectivorous bird will spot it and sort your problem out for you. I even save moths and spiders from the loo. Total pacifist ... but do not willfully harm fauna or flora when I am around... the dragon in me stirs at the thought.

Answer 6

Just throw it in the yard and let nature take its course. Maybe a hungry bird will come along looking for a snack. Unless it's a vegetarian bird of course.

Answer 7

No NO NO NO
do NOT be a fool
that caterpillar is only one of thousand of eggs that IT will lay if YOU allow it to survive.
sorry your compassionate ideology does not address insects that are destructive to your holy 'organic' veggie garden'..
If you do not>>>> you stand the chance of eating the same eggs and you may have an adverse reaction..
pick it off your plants and toss in a shallow pan of water where the birds might get an extra treat of water and a BBQ.

Answer 8

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Rejoice! You have lettuce that does not have enough pesticide on it to kill the poor little guy! Remove him (as humanely as you wish) and wash and eat your lettuce. Please, do not call the store to complain about this. That is the kind of thing that leads to us getting more pesticides in our world and higher prices on our food.

Answer 9

its just a caterpiller!!! pull it off and throw it outside!