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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2008 14:32:56 GMT
Hi all,
Something that looks like a small (about 1") green caterpillar is munching through my Echiums .... I thought at first the damage was due to S&S, but caught this creature hard at it today. I plucked about 7 of them off and disposed of them in salt water, and sprayed washing-up solution on the plants ... any other ideas, please? ... cheers ...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2008 19:11:10 GMT
they could be silver y moth caterpillars: www.inra.fr/hyppz/IMAGES/7030873.jpg- Larva: 40 to 45 mm, light green with 6 longitudinal whitish lines. Eggs: greyish white, flattened, they are deposited in bunches or singly on the underside of the leaves, generally, of wild plants or of certain cultivated plants.Larva: the caterpillar is especially active during the night: it nibbles the lamina of leaves and cuts the leaf-stalks (petioles). During the day, it remains pressed against the underside of the leaves. Larval development lasts about a month. looked up cures but mainly nasty cures. have ideas, is this it   |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2008 11:27:42 GMT
Thanks SS .... yup, that looks like it. I don't want to do anything too drastic ... just hoping the plants survive ... cheers ...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2008 14:32:37 GMT
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Post by Chuckles on Jan 25, 2008 22:28:13 GMT
Here's a pic of the little blighters - difficult to see because they are really well camouflaged - but you can see the damage they've done    They've had a right party feast by the looks CC |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2008 13:40:53 GMT
Yup Chuckles, they must have indigestion by now I'm going out shortly to pick more of them off by hand, and repeat the washing-up liquid treatment. Strange that they only seem interested in the Echiums ... cheers ... |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2008 14:00:35 GMT
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Post by Dutchy on Feb 6, 2008 8:39:35 GMT
Dig up, place in pot, make pot heavy and see to it plant does not get free.
Dunk in watterbarrel for half a day.
The plant should be fine the caterpillars floating.
Maybe a bit drastic but if they keep coming...
Have you checked for eggs?
There must be zillions if your plants keep suffering.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2008 14:25:33 GMT
Hmmm. I don't think I have a spare pot big enough, Dutchy - these are huge plants. I have checked for eggs but not found any, at least not on the plants However, I've been told that the caterpillar season is quite short, so I guess I'm going to have to wait them out ... cheers ... |
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They've had a right party feast by the looks CC 