Bud rot or caterpillar damage???

I need to identify whether my plants are developing bud rot or damage from caterpillars. The following is the symptoms and background info:

- developing dry brown dead spots on the buds
- the pistols (hairs) have turned brown on almost all the plants (they may just be maturing or could have been caused from a drought they are still recovering from)
- I found many caterpillars and some brown granilurs in the bud, which I assume is the poop of the caterpillars.
- The infected areas crumble into nothing when touched and are very dry, not gooey or moldy.
- average humidity of 80%
- average temp 90-70F
- not much rain at all, no long periods of rain whatsoever

As it will certainly spread to the rest of my crop if it is bud rot, I need to make a decision quickly. Any responses are appreciated, do y'all think this is bud rot or damage from caterpillars?

I have sprayed thuricide to kill the caterpillars and am hoping this is the problem. Here are some pics - NOTE: The white stuff in the pictures is the spray that was applied prior to taking the photos, not mold

From the pictures and what your saying your crop looks like it might be a loss this time around but I'm no expert. But if it was my crop id chalk it up as a loss. That first picture looks horrible.

Wow! You have a serious case of bud rot...Botrytis! That is really bad...Doesn't look good at all!

Bummer

Dadopeboii said:

I need to identify whether my plants are developing bud rot or damage from caterpillars. The following is the symptoms and background info:

- developing dry brown dead spots on the buds
- the pistols (hairs) have turned brown on almost all the plants (they may just be maturing or could have been caused from a drought they are still recovering from)
- I found many caterpillars and some brown granilurs in the bud, which I assume is the poop of the caterpillars.
- The infected areas crumble into nothing when touched and are very dry, not gooey or moldy.
- average humidity of 80%
- average temp 90-70F
- not much rain at all, no long periods of rain whatsoever

As it will certainly spread to the rest of my crop if it is bud rot, I need to make a decision quickly. Any responses are appreciated, do y'all think this is bud rot or damage from caterpillars?

I have sprayed thuricide to kill the caterpillars and am hoping this is the problem. Here are some pics - NOTE: The white stuff in the pictures is the spray that was applied prior to taking the photos, not moldView attachment 3786553
View attachment 3786544View attachment 3786547 View attachment 3786548 View attachment 3786550

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Could be why your buds are turning funny colors while drying in the other thread you started

Many of the plants don't have brown spots but just brown hairs like shown in the pics, is this a sign that they are infected?

From what I see it is bud rot....You have some serious high humidity there where you live...I just noticed and took a small bud infected with bud rot off my black Cherry Soda...What clued me into it was a small browned and shriveled sugar leaf and when I touched it it just crumbled/fell off the bud...I then noticed a soft mushy brown spot in the bud!

Cut out the brown and chopped off the bud...Trimmed it up and gonna dry it!

You asked if its bud rot or ceterpillar damage... caterpillar damage that is dry and crispy now can turn to bud rot if you dont remove it all; especially with 80%rh. You asked which it is... my answer is likely both. One caused from the other.