Black worms eating strawberries

momoese · 05-21-2012, 06:28 PM

I have been finding ripe berries with holes in them for a few years. The culprits are these little black worms that look like flatworms but don't have the hammer head and are pitch black. Here is a blog that has photos of them. The only way I've found to keep them off the ripe fruit is to pull the berries out and lay them on top of the leaves. Anything even close to touching the soil will be eaten.

What are they and how do I get rid of them?

caliboy1994 · 05-21-2012, 08:28 PM

They almost look like leeches. Did you try the apple cider vinegar?

momoese · 05-21-2012, 08:41 PM

Not yet, but that's mostly because I really don't like the smell of vinegar, and this garden area is up wind from the kitchen window.

Maybe I'll just get some straw and place it around the plants.

05-21-2012, 06:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
momoese Dog Walker momoese's Photo Gallery Location: West Los Angeles CA Find me on the map! Zone: zone 10 Name: Mitchel Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 7,232 BananaBucks : 13,253 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,091 Times Was Thanked 7,218 Times in 2,780 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 609 Times	Black worms eating strawberries I have been finding ripe berries with holes in them for a few years. The culprits are these little black worms that look like flatworms but don't have the hammer head and are pitch black. Here is a blog that has photos of them. The only way I've found to keep them off the ripe fruit is to pull the berries out and lay them on top of the leaves. Anything even close to touching the soil will be eaten. What are they and how do I get rid of them? __________________ Mitchel

05-21-2012, 08:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
caliboy1994 <div style="font-style: italic;"><div style="font-style: italic;">Tropical fruit maniac</div></div> caliboy1994's Photo Gallery Location: Santa Clara, CA / Granada Hills, CA Find me on the map! Zone: USDA zone 9b/10a; Sunset zone 15/19 Name: Andreas Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 1,675 BananaBucks : 52,790 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 955 Times Was Thanked 1,264 Times in 761 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 223 Times	Re: Black worms eating strawberries They almost look like leeches. Did you try the apple cider vinegar? __________________ "The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it." ~ Neil deGrasse Tyson Find me on Photobucket here: http://s1061.photobucket.com/profile/musamaniac

05-21-2012, 08:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
momoese Dog Walker momoese's Photo Gallery Location: West Los Angeles CA Find me on the map! Zone: zone 10 Name: Mitchel Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 7,232 BananaBucks : 13,253 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,091 Times Was Thanked 7,218 Times in 2,780 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 609 Times	Re: Black worms eating strawberries Not yet, but that's mostly because I really don't like the smell of vinegar, and this garden area is up wind from the kitchen window. Maybe I'll just get some straw and place it around the plants. __________________ Mitchel

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