Cabbage whites

[zebedee]

There is an organic spray on the market called, I think, 'Bug Gone'. I'm pretty sure I remember it called that. It is extremely effective against caterpillars and other nasties. On some crops, 1 application is enough, but no more than two, and it really really works.

[Snadger]

There is an organic spray on the market called, I think, 'Bug Gone'. I'm pretty sure I remember it called that. It is extremely effective against caterpillars and other nasties. On some crops, 1 application is enough, but no more than two, and it really really works.

There you are dexter, Bug Gun, but you need a firearms licence to use it!

[Lesley Jay]

I must say that the most organic way to deal with cabbage whites is to use fine netting. Make sure that the netting doesn't touch any of the leaves. Then there is no need to spray your crops with anything at all.

[monkeybum]

Apparently they do something strange with their wings and they can get themselves down to third of a pencils width?????Really fine netting I would say.

[Lesley Jay]

It works for me!

[multiveg]

My nasturtiums seem to have been tasty for them - I had two types of cabbage whites - the one with green, camoflage caterpillars, and the other which were green and black (not the chocolate). I guess they can smell them a mile off! I suppose might be worth companion planting with suitable smelly things or even other plants to attract predatory insects that like a tasty caterpillar for lunch.

[kirsty b]

Hello,
New here, so apologies if this has been covered before.
I'm trying to find out HOW the damned Cabbage Whites find my brassicas. My Brussels and Broccolli have been destroyed AGAIN.
If anybody knows how it is the seek out the plants then I can plan a deterrent. Netting is ugly, and they always seem to get in, and fleece isn't really an option.
Dusting with Derris is an "after the fact" cure, but I'd like to stop the butterflies 1st. Do they use sight or smell to find our food??
Thanks in advance.
Pj

I use my daughter and the dog, dogs catches and eats butterflies and daughter squishes caterpillars. Good fun is had by all