Never seen this one before. It is present in ones and twos (unlike the Large White Butterfly caterpillar which comes not in single spies but in battalions)(Shakespeare) but is definitely a Very Hungry Caterpillar and is doing quite a lot of damage.
For a fascinating article on this moth and caterpillar click on the picture.
For a fascinating article on this moth and caterpillar click on the picture.
It is time for a 'search and destroy' mission on your brassicas. There are fewer caterpillars around than last year, thank goodness, but even a few can do a lot of damage when they concentrate their attentions on the young leaves, as this species seems to do.
You may also have grey aphid - usually spotted only when you are on a caterpillar hunt. Aphid control is always a problem but one of the newer suitable pesticides is Provado ultimate bug killer, which is suitable for use on brassicas.
You should not use soap-based contact insecticides on brassicas as they remove the essential waxy coating on the leaves and the plant is often killed or severely damaged.
You may also have grey aphid - usually spotted only when you are on a caterpillar hunt. Aphid control is always a problem but one of the newer suitable pesticides is Provado ultimate bug killer, which is suitable for use on brassicas.
You should not use soap-based contact insecticides on brassicas as they remove the essential waxy coating on the leaves and the plant is often killed or severely damaged.
RSS Feed
