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Caterpillars - How ?

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  • #1

    Caterpillars - How ?

    For the life of me I absolutely do not understand how large caterpillars have got into my covered (all season) enviromesh raised bed. ALL my chard are like confetti and they are one of my best growing veg this year. It doesn't make sense

    Not just that they are all over my kale even though we are nearly into November. Why arn't the birds picking them off instead of pecking holes in my kale ?

    It's also full of tiny lime coloured hopper things that seem to plague everything in my garden year (look like thrips) after year. They make small holes in my leaves and cause it to misshape. I just hope for a long, hard winter.
    Last edited by Marb67; 23-10-2017, 05:57 PM.
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  • #2
    What sort of caterpillars? I find enviromesh very good at keeping out butterflies, carrot fly, cabbage root fly etc, and absolutely lousy at keeping out moths. I have particular problems with tortrix moth, particularly strawberry leaf roller https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancylis_comptana (which eats absolutely everything) and dot moth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot_moth, which seems to particularly like carrots and beetroot/chard, but I've also found cabbage moth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_moth caterpillars on brassicas under nets.
    A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard Nimoy

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    • #3
      Are you absolutely sure that there is not the tiniest of gaps.
      Jimmy
      Expect the worst in life and you will probably have under estimated!

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      • #4
        I think one of the problems with moths is that some species pupate in the soil, so even if you cover the crop with netting there may be pupae buried in the soil which then hatch inside the net.
        Last edited by Penellype; 24-10-2017, 11:55 AM.
        A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard Nimoy
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        • #5
          They are either very fat and grey or smaller, light acid green.

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          • #6
            Hmm. Dot moth caterpillars in particular can be very variable in colour from bright green through brown to grey, but they always have the diamond pattern down the back. They get quite big, upto about 1.5 inches, and the first thing you see are holes and copious amounts of caterpillar poo. The caterpillars often hide and can be very hard to find.

            I can't think of anything obvious from your description. Photos might help with identification, but identifying the problem won't necessarily provide a solution. Removing any caterpillars you find on a daily basis is the best way to cope with an established infestation. If you don't like using fingers, tweezers are useful.
            A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard Nimoy
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