Can you identify these caterpillars please ?

viscountsquare · September 2021

Hello. Lovely sunny day here in my Lincolnshire garden. My first image shows one of many caterpillars feeding on my nasturtiums. I have had, and still have, many Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies on my Buddleias. Second image shows a large and many little caterpillars feeding on my rose hedge. They are munching away and multiplying. Can you identify these please ? Thanks for your help.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/gm/g786z8uy1hbf.jpg

Dovefromabove · September 2021

The first are Cabbage Whites ... many folk grow nasturtiums as sacrificial plants to keep them away from their brassicas.

The second lot are Sawflies. Greedy little monsters. Great food for the small birds tho.
If there are a lot of them I'd snip the branches off complete with the caterpillars and compost them.

viscountsquare · September 2021

Thanks for getting in touch. Not too worried about the Cabbage White caterpillars. Will snip off the greedy Sawflies as there are more than just a few. Have just noticed top leaves on my willow, ornamental cherry and silver birch trees are also being eaten. Must be the same monsters ! Sadly, no birds visit my garden. I live on a fairly new estate with building work still going on all around. They are missing out on lots of lovely grub by the sound of things. Kind regards.

Dovefromabove · September 2021

Earlier in the season you can check the rose stems for evidence that the sawflies have laid eggs … info and advice here
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=196

Fairygirl · September 2021

Sawflies seem to have been in abundance this year in many places. Someone the other day had a birch with a load on it.
None here, but they're often a problem on Polygonatums.

You can be a leader then @viscountsquare - get some bird feeders etc going, and get them in

purplerallim · September 2021

Hi @viscountsquare from another Lincolnite. 😁
Having gardened in the county for over 30 years this is the first time I have had sawfly caterpillars, they are on all my roses😖😡 what a mess they make.

Fairygirl · September 2021

I wonder if the weather this year has knocked the prey/predator balance awry?
It can happen in spring if weather is severe, when the insect populations are out of kilter with the bird populations and their breeding times.

Dovefromabove · September 2021

Apparently the late spring meant that a lot of bluetit broods failed as the little caterpillars weren’t around at the right time but came along later and didn’t get eaten. Those little caterpillars have probably grown up and had little caterpillars of their own
🐛 🐛 🐛

Fairygirl · September 2021

Always tricky when it happens @Dovefromabove. Common here, although the aphids are usually later here too, if we get them at all.
More common just now in my garden than in spring.

viscountsquare · September 2021

Thanks all for taking the trouble to write. Back out in the garden in a minute to do some more snipping. Wish the green bin collection was once a week instead of two !
Bye for now.

Can you identify these caterpillars please ?

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