The adults may be pretty but the way the larvae cause distorted growth is really heart-breaking if it's a plant you've been eagerly anticipating and tending the growth of.
The distorted growth looks unsightly and gets progressively worse, personally I would just cut it all off if the plant's in a prominent location - in my 3.5 x 12m garden, all locations are prominent! Centaurea will grow back and reflower from a haircut, it's basically a Chelsea chop.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Yes, I've ended up giving them all the chop as on closer inspection everyone one was affected. Such a shame as they were going great guns. There're probably other cornflowers growing feral elsewhere that can provide sustenance for this moth. I don't mind losing a few but not the whole lot! Fingers crossed for some regrowth of buds, hopefully passed the season for the moth's egg laying now.
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The distorted growth looks unsightly and gets progressively worse, personally I would just cut it all off if the plant's in a prominent location - in my 3.5 x 12m garden, all locations are prominent! Centaurea will grow back and reflower from a haircut, it's basically a Chelsea chop.