aaaarrrhhhh Butterfly party.....

[lmayhow]

Oh my oh my so being new to this gardening thing I was silly and took my brassica netting down after my holiday as I was worried how big the brassica's had got to the netting, I know doh!

It like a blinking butterfly convention out there!

Nearly 4 weeks later and many egg and caterpillar hunts later I have done a fresh hunt and covered with the netting I have left. But again its very close to the net surely the Butterfly can still lay eggs and I will have never caught all of the eggs/caterpillar so keep checking? How often should I keep checking now? Is it going going to work? Really I am trying to not spend more money!

[Jungle Jane]

Sounds like my garden,I've no nets this year,took them down because of a moth that could get through the butterfly netting holes,laid eggs everywhere,so it's no use. Every other day I'm checking for eggs & caterpillars on my Brussels sprouts,brocolli & tiny cauliflower plants. I was thinking of putting nets back up but I'd trap them in there,the state my leaves are in,it's like a nightmare. Cabbage whites will be able to poke their ovipositor through the netting to place their eggs on the leaf,you want the netting at least an inch away from the leaves,more to be safe.

[lmayhow]

Thought as much re netting distance Jane which was why I took it down in the first place. Even with my everyother day hunt my brassicss look like edam cheese..... my cauliflower has just started its curd/florrets

I will be going to caterpillar hell the amount I have murdered so far, good luck your end not sure when the white flutter season is over but I certainly am not wishing the summer away so will have to suffer.

[Scoot]

I've just removed a load of eggs off mine as I don't net mine either. I've moved them onto a massive broccoli plant that never put any spheres on in the spring, it just kept growing as a plant.

Any caterpillars I find will be going on there as well.

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^I fear you are storing up trouble for next year, they will pupate and be there ready to turn into adults next season.

Remember butterfly's expect about 90% predation and make up for this by laying a large amount of eggs, me I squish em.

[Scoot]

^^^^^^I fear you are storing up trouble for next year, they will pupate and be there ready to turn into adults next season.

Remember butterfly's expect about 90% predation and make up for this by laying a large amount of eggs, me I squish em.

Im a wildlife lover and wont kill them. If that means sacrificing my brassicas then so be it.