A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Gardener's Chat Gardening Tips and Tricks TIP: Needle-nosed pliers & mechanical pest control

I just came in from the garden, where I happily destoyed a few cabbage worms, & thought I'd post a "tip!"

I carry a small pair of needle-nosed pliers in my back pocket.


They are perfect for picking off cabbage worms, tomato hornworms, Japanese beetles-- any big slow critter I spy that shouldn't be where it is. I try to remember to take them with me every time I stroll through the garden so I can take immediate action. In the 3 minutes it would take me to go get them, if I forget, that tomato hornworm would destroy everything!

You can usually find this size in the "$2 and under bin" at the grocery, hardware, or big box store.

Hello...? Maybe I posted in the wrong place. I thought I'd at least get a thumbs up.

you got one. i just forgot to hit the submit button

something i do also, with those same pliers, is use them to pull out briers and such that will poke through my garden gloves. works great and protects my hands too.

I read this before too and thought it was a good idea. I've never seen any of these "cabbage worms, tomato hornworms, Japanese beetles" But I have my own pesties. I hate handling snails and slugs.
I also keep a pair of needle nose in my garden 'bag' and or my pocket. I find them invaluable for the quick repairs I need to do on my sprinkler system. I use micro sprinklers and my grip is not what it used to be. Also handy for the different wires and such that I may need to tighten.

I just read this Marica!! I've been busy, sorry!!

This is a great tip and a perfect place for it!!!
I hope others will put their favorite 'implements' they use, in here.
I still wish Lynne (or whomever it was!Sorry!) would post that picture and a description of that ergonomical pair of shears or clippers she showed somewhere else, in here. (And Bill has something I wish he would put right in here, also!!)

Thanks Marica for starting this topic in here!!

Here ya go, Shirley - a link to my post about the great trowel that Don bought for me a few months ago. It is in another thread here in Gardener's Chat.


//www.agardenersforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/275682#Post275682



Great idea about the plyers, Marica.