What’s eating our plants?!

firstforgardening · July 2022

Please could someone advise what could be munching many of our plants?

We don’t think it’s slugs as we barely see any, there’s no trails and there’s just as many holes in higher up leaves as lower leaves.
Whatever it is is sampling almost all our green leafed plants although they do have a particular taste for veg leaves. luckily they’re not destroying any of our plants so far. We think maybe it’s butterflies but we have no idea.

Any advice on what it could be and how to slow the hungry buggers down would be very much appreciated!

Here’s some pics:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/ni/vva2suhcqtvu.jpeg

bertrand-mabel · July 2022

The last photos...caterpillars of the whites. Ours have been really down to the midribs.

You don't see slugs/snails but they are there.

Simone_in_Wiltshire · July 2022

@firstforgardening your plants are just the common food supply. Nothing that can be done.

Over the years, I learned that I’m just the manager of the garden which is owned by the animals in the garden and their food chain.

Lyn · July 2022

I made a framework and got close mesh butterfly netting from Amazon or scaffolding netting, as long as it doesn’t touch the plants, the cabbage whites can’t get in

firstforgardening · July 2022

Thanks for the replies.

We don't want to put down nasty treatments, we're nature lovers so will try to protect our garden naturally.

Nets for our veggies we are getting onto.

Do you think that its butterflies eating our other plants and shrubs also?

Would slugs really be eating leaves that are 4ft high rather than just eating the lower leaves? Whatever is eating our plants is eating them high and low and there's no slug slime trails on the leaves

Lyn · August 2022

Slugs and snails will climb anywhere for food!
Vegetable chewing, like you have will be caterpillars, if you search you will probably see them.
If you’re buying mesh it has to be very small holes, this is the best but you could shop around re price. I seem to remember this was made from recycled milk bottles.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetable-Protection-Butterfly-Enviromesh-Anti-bird/dp/B09XJCWRRY/ref=sr_1_20_sspa?crid=2NVJWKAZ4653O&keywords=butterfly%2Bnetting%2Bfor%2Bbrassicas&qid=1659346746&sprefix=Butterfly%2Bnetting%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-20-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyUlhXMVk2WjZUM0tXJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTE4ODQ1M1RGTUhTRUxZU0o5UCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDI5NDgyOTI3VFlHNlM4MURaJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfbXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1

firstforgardening · August 2022

Thanks Lyn, that mesh looks good so we will try that

Biglad · August 2022

If you're able, try an after-dark lap of the garden. You'll likely be able to confirm some of the culprits

firstforgardening · August 2022

Yep I’ll get the head torch out and do a little midnight search

What’s eating our plants?!

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