I found today lots of mullein moth caterpillars on a silver birch, planted last winter, near a mullein plant. There were plenty of leaves left on the mullein, but the caterpillars had stripped almost all the birch leaves.
Hi Lynn I've grown a vast amount of verbscum white bride they look sturdy little plants and have been warned about mullien caterpillars. Never grown biennial plants from seed before. Did you plant yours out about this time last year?
If they are a good size you can, I like to grow them on, they do stand a better chance in the garden if they are big plants. they dont all get eaten by the caterpillars, I have more that have never been eaten.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I have been watching a single Arrons Rod plant growing in a tub in my garden and it has just come into bloom for the first time. I have identified a single mullein moth caterpillar feeding on the plant. It is quite interesting to see this plant and caterpillar in my suburban garden and I am interested to watch what happens to them over the summer. I agree it would be wrong to take up arms against this magnificent creature.
Posts
And... not only does the GW site say to destroy them, they say to spray them !!!
The flowers are out now so it didnt make any difference that the leaves we're eaten completely last year.
Hi Lynn
I've grown a vast amount of verbscum white bride they look sturdy little plants and have been warned about mullien caterpillars. Never grown biennial plants from seed before. Did you plant yours out about this time last year?
If they are a good size you can, I like to grow them on, they do stand a better chance in the garden if they are big plants. they dont all get eaten by the caterpillars, I have more that have never been eaten.
Caterpillars having a good feed, I just leave them happily eating away.
I agree Joybell. I can afford a few Verbascums for the caterpillars
In the sticks near Peterborough
I wouldn't say for you to move it at this stage, but if it's going to get destroyed anyway, it's worth a try.
One or two caterpillars on the Verbacsum. We only grow them for the moths.