Q: I've lived here since 1926 and never saw such a critter before. My frangipani is being eaten by huge caterpillars with bright yellow stripes. They have a small tail, too.

P.C., Miami

A: The caterpillars you found on your frangipani are the immature stage of the giant grey sphinx moth. If you think there are too many caterpillars on your plant, you can remove some of them by hand and place them in a container of soapy water. If this is not possible and the plant is badly damaged, spray the foliage with Thuricide or Dipel, which are the least-toxic insecticides. They contain a bacteria that only affects caterpillars that eat the treated leaves. These products are available at garden centers and in the pesticide department at hardware stores.

Don't worry, these caterpillars won't kill your plant. In fact, most insects don't kill plants.

Q: When should I start planting my vegetable garden? I want to grow tomatoes, peppers and beans.

B.K., Homestead

A: October is the time to start your winter vegetable garden. Remember to buy varieties that are disease and nematode resistant. When buying seedlings, make sure that they aren't too large and are healthy. Older seedlings may be harder to transplant.

To learn more about growing your own food, read about raised bed gardening for South Florida at http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu. Click on vegetable gardening.

To learn about which vegetable varieties to grow and when to plant them, go to this website: http://edis.ifas.ufl.

edu/VH021.

INSECT SAMPLES

Send undamaged (live or dead) insects in a crush-proof container like a pill bottle or film canister with the top taped on. Mail them in a padded envelope or box with a brief note explaining where you found the insects.

Do not tape insects to paper or place them loose in envelopes. Insect fragments or crushed insect samples are almost impossible to identify.

Send them to the address of your county extension office, found in the blue pages in the phone book under county government.

Adrian Hunsberger is an entomologist/horticulturist with the UF/IFAS Miami-Dade Extension office. Write to Plant Clinic, 18710 SW 288th St., Homestead, FL 33030; e-mail aghu@ifas.ufl.edu.

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