My burning bush, which has never had a pest problem, was inundated by nasty webworms.
They were everywhere on that poor defenseless shrub, spinning their webs and hiding under them in plain sight. They can quickly chew up the leaves of a shrub, curling up those that are not completely munched, and leaving the plant raggedly and unslightly, while they march on to their next victim. Then as they pupate and the moths hatch, another generation of eggs are laid, and we can expect worse things next year.
What to do? One friend advised I spray bleach on them. Another suggested soapy water. But I was worried about unintended consequences. I knew that most of any chemical or concoction I sprayed on them would drip down onto something else - earthworms, butterflies, beneficial bugs - things I didn't want to kill. Plus, chemicals never kill 100 percent of the bad guys. There are always a few who have an immunity and can survive what others cannot.
If not a chemical solution, then what? The answer was at my fingertips. The answer WAS my fingertips. I put plastic bags on my hands, and ran my fingers down each afflicted branch, crushing the little buggers as I went. Nothing can survive physical methods of attack. Crushing gets everything. They can't build up an immunity to being squished.
