Caterpillars in December

[Marb67]

I absolutely cannot believe my luck. Not only do pests of almost every kind eat my veg in summer. Now my green leafy veg, chard is being eaten by caterpillars. I have found quite a few, some very small on them all. How can this be in December ? Also, flea beetle evidence in the greenhouse again. Depressing.

While I am on the subject, my curly kale has grown to a reasonable size but just of late it just produces one small leaf at the tip of the plant. Nothing lower down and very slow. I thought I would be harvesting through the winter. Same for Italian long green kale

[mothhawk]

I saw a green caterpillar on my garden path yesterday. And there are still wasps flying in and out of the gap in the barge boards where they have had a nest over the summer

[PyreneesPlot]

Yes caterpillars and flea beetles here too, despite minus 6 the other night.

[Catseyes]

I remember when we had that snow fall in the south east of England a few years ago. Once it had all melted, I went to check my Brussels and low and behold, there were caterpillar!! They had even survived the snow. It's madness


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[Marb67]

Things are going bonkers. I was clearing out the pond today and i found some tadpoles. Why havent they changed into frogs ? They had a good, warm summer.

Soon it will be almost impossible to grow anything.

[PyreneesPlot]

Some tadpoles will over-winter, I can't remember why. We get frog spawn here from about Christmas, and often just in puddles, despite the harsh weather normally being Jan/Feb. Some must survive.
A good excuse for not clearing the pond as things will be overwintering in there!

[Mr Bones]

Saw a peacock butterfly flying about today. Nine degrees but feeling much warmer in the sun.

[Marb67]

Just went out to get anything leaf i could for salad. The beetroot, radish, kale and broccoli leaves still are being eaten. I harvest all these for salad. Yes, even radish leaves. When i washed the leaves (the small amount i had) i found a live green caterpillar. Unbelievable. If it isnt bad enough i get plagued all summer i am now getting it in winter. Ditto flea beatle. My kale isnt producing new leaf much at all considering it should be supplying through the winter. My garden gets no sun all winter which is quite depressing.

[Marb67]

Again, still caterpillars all around. Even if they are still here surely the birds will be picking them off ? Madness :-(

[Marb67]

Still big fat caterpillers out there tonight and its january. What is happening with this horrible mild, wet weather ? A good hard frost and snow is what we need. Looks like another misserable season fighting even more pests for me this year. :-(

[Dorothy rouse]

Still plenty of time for cold, frosty weather, usually Feb is bad.

[RaptorUK]

I saw a green caterpillar on my garden path yesterday. And there are still wasps flying in and out of the gap in the barge boards where they have had a nest over the summer

I found quite a few green caterpillars overwintering while I was digging over my allotment. December has been relatively mild though, when we get a few hard frosts the bug numbers will take a hit.

[Bill HH]

I have some chard in the poly tunnel that is being eaten, I thought slugs but yesterday found a huge green caterpillar lying cleverly along the spine of the leaf. it looked suspiciously like the moth caterpillars that munched all my tomatoes. i have decided to give up on brassicas, I planted cauliflower and cabbage plants in october and now they are just stumps. As a nation we need to begin eating insects, i think those long green caterpillars would look lovely pickled.

[Marb67]

Shouldn't the blackbirds be picking off all these things ?

[rustylady]

Shouldn't the blackbirds be picking off all these things ?

No Marb, you should be picking off all those things.