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Hungry Caterpillars

Over the last few days caterpillars have been stripping foliage and flowers from pretty much everything in a section of my garden. I have been picking them off but more keep appearing. They are leaving trails of poo around where they have been. When I have dug up plants they have destroyed I've found more caterpillars burried in the soil. Does anyone have any advice on how to stop them destroying my garden?

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Can you describe or post a photo ofthe caterpillar?

    It's unusual for one species to be above and below the ground and eating everything, they're usually more specific in their needs



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Nina4Nina4 Posts: 2

    I keep getting an error message when I try to add a photo of them. They look like the one on this page, some are plain brown, some have black and white stripes down the sidehttp://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/square-spot-rustic

     

    They have eaten the flowers and leaves of primulas, hardy fuscias, pansies, mint, a huge amount of cotoneaster (or something that is similar to that) so I'm getting big bald patches. The only thing they don't seem to be touching is the lavender.

  • AnomanderAnomander Posts: 88

    Nina4, I am having the same problem!!! image I went outside last night to apply my slug nematodes but discovered, by torchlight. these HUGE brown caterpillars! I think they are the caterpillars of the square-spot rustic moth (Xestia xanthographa). Just as you said, they have been devouring stuff and leaving poo trails- they have been at my foxglove and sea-holly and they are devastated! I thought foxglove was poisonous??

    Does anyone have ideas how to control this pest?

  • Sophie17Sophie17 Posts: 342
    I had a massive problem with caterpillars last year, I was told by a neighbour to put crushed eggshells around the base of the plant like you would for snails/slugs and spray them with a homemade "perfume" He suggested boiling a couple of bulbs of garlic cut in half with a good sized bunch of mint.... I had a glut of rosemary so I used that too!! Boil for around 15 mins and cool and then spray on plants.... Repeat fortnightly. Although it didn't completely cure the problem the caterpillars were few and far between instead of the mass I had. I didn't want to harm them because once they turn into butterflies etc they are helpful to my garden.....unless it's them pesky white ones!!!!!!!
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