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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?
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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
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.
Nina4, I am having the same problem!!!
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?