Caterpillars - but where are they ?

[Fully Grown Steve]

Hi,

I have just started to grow vegetables for the first time this year and a couple of weeks ago I planted a dozen purple sprouting broccoli plants in my new bed. They seemed to be thriving until a couple of days ago when I noticed that one of them had started to be eaten by caterpillars. Today three out of the twelve are affected. So far it is only a single leaf on each of these plants. I've just spent about fifteen minutes trying to find the caterpillars so that I can remove them however I can't see them anywhere. The plants are still only small so there are not too many places for them to hide. Have they already been eaten by a bird or something? Should I be looking for them first thing in the morning?

Any help or advice would be greatfully received.

Steve

[Guttata]

How do you know that are being eaten by caterpillars? There are other beasties that will eat them too.

Post some pics of the damage.

[Jameslovell]

Net them, net them and then net them!!!
You may find that it is some flying devil. Stick some cane sin the ground around the area you planted your PSB, place milk/coke/squash bottles over the canes and then cover witht eh netting.
It should be quite fine netting really. Keep an eye on the plants as you don't want the leaves touching the netting.

[Madasafish]

I have killed two in my sprouts. Hidden in the growing tender tops: carefully open the shoots up and you will find them hidden in curled up leaves..

I squash them between two leaves...

[Fully Grown Steve]

Hi,

Yes perhaps I was jumping to the conclusion that it was caterpillars. Anyway I've attached some pictures of the damage.

Thanks also for the netting recommendation. It certainly seems to be the way to go. The plants have only just gone in. They still have a long way to go before they reach the dinnerplate.

Thanks,

Steve

[Sanjo]

Possibly pigeon damage. You still need to net. They do love the old cabbages/broccoli etc.

[rustylady]

That definitely doesn't look like caterpillar damage. Much more likely to be birds - pigeons or even sparrows. Net your brassicas.

[Fully Grown Steve]

Hi,

We do have a pair of pigeons that visit our garden everyday so I suspect you have probably identified the cuplrits. I'll be off to the garden centre tomorrow morning to get some netting. As you say it will protect me against some of the other pests as well.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I suspect I might be returning for more before long.

Steve

[rustylady]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I suspect I might be returning for more before long.

You're more than welcome. We may not know it all, but between us we can usually come up with an answer.

[Liza]

Net them, net them and then net them!!!
You may find that it is some flying devil. Stick some cane sin the ground around the area you planted your PSB, place milk/coke/squash bottles over the canes and then cover witht eh netting.
It should be quite fine netting really. Keep an eye on the plants as you don't want the leaves touching the netting.

Where is your lottie james ?

I am on New road

[Two_Sheds]

I'm a bit late, but just wanted to say, yes, that's definitely pigeon damage

Caterpillars & slugs/snails tend to eat from the inside of the leaves, not the edges

[Sanjo]

If it's any consolation F.G.S. they will recover. My daughter put in cabbage plants, didn't take my advice!! and they were nibbled to the stalk. After constant nagging she whacked up netting. Several weeks later when I looked I thought she had replaced them as they were much taller and sturdy looking. She swears they are the same plants and as yours currently look nothing like hers did, they should be fine.
If you are getting netting then it might be better to get the butterfly netting right from the start as that will be the next problem!

[Jameslovell]

Hi Liza, I'm on the Mereland Road allotments. I often run past yours. Looks nice and open there. Not a great fence there though. You get much trouble with vandals?

[Liza]

Yes we do James, last time they cut the fence between my two elders. Its been fixed now, until next time.