We made these pickles 2 days ago and just found this little caterpillar. We’re thinking it came from the dill we put in the pickles. Anyone know what caterpillar this might be? Also do we think it’s safe to eat the pickles?

by pebbywebgers

4 Comments

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  2. effyoucreeps

    keep yer mouth shut and enjoy the pickles. nice work!

  3. Technically meat products are not considered safe unless preserved with a tested recipe. That being said, one small bug really isn’t going to affect safety. You’d be horrified by what ends up in food if you look it up. Still, it would be totally valid to dump the batch. Many would feel justifiably grossed out by it. As far as the bug it’s best to look up common garden pests in your area. A local gardening group would probably know what is going after the cucumbers this year.

  4. princessthunderstorm

    I thiiiiink it’s a little larva aptly called the pickleworm! Are your cucumbers home grown? They’re the larva of a moth and they burrow into late-season garden cucumbers. You might notice a tiny hole in your cuke with some frass around it. Easy to miss. He was probably on the inside of one of your slices and burrowed his way out just to meet a vinegary end, bless it.

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