Contolling diamond back moth larva?

[silkiechicken]

So I have what I think to be a TERRIBLE infestation of diamond back moth larva.

My summer stand of bok choi has been overwhelmed and about 90% of the leaves have holes in them so numerous that you can see though about 50% of the leaf.

They look like:

And the leaves look like:

I just put out my winter stand of babies which don't even have one true leaf yet and am paranoid that they will too get eaten like the summer stand of bok choi. How do I go about killing these things!! Or is there some other pest I am overlooking which these may be? Only thing that didn't match the descripton were "hairs" on the bug... but they were all green and looked like the pic, with only a few in little caccoons.

So far I have pulled up all the bokchoi and will be turning over that little area of dirt tomorrow. The bugs didn't bother the grand rapids lettuce one bit.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Just as for most caterpillars a dose of Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt can usually help with some control. An application (it's usually sold under Foray or Dipel) every 10-14 days can help keep them at bay. It's completely organic and basically gives the buggers a nasty disease that eventually kills them.

Lacewings can also be of some help controlling them. Make sure you keep debris to a minimum as they like to overwinter in more temperate climates.

Good luck!

 

[silkiechicken]

Great! I will see if I can't get a hold of some tonight as I am leaving town again for two weeks! I've never had such a problem! But then again, I haven't seen lacewings for the past few years and I remember them swarming everywhere.