Where Do Budworms Come From

All budworms come from an egg, which is laid on plant leaves, stems, and buds. After they hatch, they’ll seek out nearby flowers or leaves and start eating them. As they eat, they’ll go through several instars.

How do you prevent getting budworms?

Avoid using broad-spectrum pesticides on or around geraniums, petunias and nicotiana (or any other plants). These chemicals will damage the populations of beneficial budworm parasites and predators (like tiny beneficial wasps) that help control budworm numbers. Be judicious with water and fertilizer.

Do budworms live in soil?

Budworms can overwinter in the soil of potted plants that were outdoors during the summer and then moved indoors for the winter. Budworms also may be active year-round in greenhouses.