Too much wildlife!

[Penellype]

Having managed to get round wasps infesting my blackcurrants and blackfly covering my french beans, I had another wildlife excess today.

I was aware that my strawberries are being eaten by small brown maggots which eat the stalk end of the fruit - I have been unable to identify these at all. They have rendered the late strawberries almost 100% inedible for the 2nd year running.

So today I went to harvest a few blueberries that were turning blue. On close inspection it was clear that these were next to small, clearly eaten blue fruit and when dislodged these revealed extremely wriggly green caterpillars.

Then I picked the peas that were ready. When I shelled them there were 3 that were clearly being eaten by tiny pea moth caterpillars. I haven't seen pea moth for about 3 years - this is the first time since the last infestation that I have forgotten to grow nasturtiums under my peas, which might or might not be relevant.

I hate caterpillars in my food

[burnie]

Think of it as a bit of extra protein.....................................

[Penellype]

Think of it as a bit of extra protein.....................................

I can't - there is too much yuck factor for me.

[BUFFS]

Think of it as your food getting fit, fit for what though ?,if you don't know you wont really care, we must accidentally eat a lot of things in our lives...

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^^^^That's true but it doesn't mean we would necessarily choose to eat them.....

[Jay22]

Think of it as a bit of extra protein.....................................

That's what my dad used to tell us when we were little. We used to go for a drive up North and on the way back would stop for something to eat...usually beans heated up on a primus stove (remember them?). Naturally by the time we stopped, usually at the top end of Loch Lomond, the midges would be out in force and would invariably land in the beans! Yuk!

[Baldy]

Only thing worse than a caterpillar in your cheese and lettuce sandwich is half a caterpillar...

[Greentea]

as soon as you grow something all the beasties want to eat it as well

[vixylix]

Tell me about it Pene - I am inundated with anything and everything I know there's supposed to be a balance, but my predators only seem interested in the lawn!