Butterfly eggs and Caterpillars on brassicas - what to do

Discussion in 'Pests, Diseases and Cures' started by JWK, Aug 3, 2021.

  1. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    There are a lot of cabbage whites flying this year, laying eggs which look like this:
    20210803_135339.jpg

    On this small cabbage plant there are actually 3 different types of eggs, the yellow egg clusters are what's commonly called the Cabbage White or Large White. The individual yellow eggs belong to Green Veined White whilst the individual white eggs are laid by the Small White (also commonly called a Cabbage White).

    The eggs hatch in a couple of weeks and the emerging caterpillars grow at a fast rate, munching holes and if left alone will destroy all brassica plants: Cabbage, Cauliflowers, Brussel Sprouts, Kale, Calabrese, Broccoli, Greens etc etc.

    If you only have a few plants you can rub the eggs off with your hands. If the eggs hatch you can hand pick the caterpillars. If you have a lot of plants you need anti-butterfly netting and it must be well anchored with no gaps as butterflies can find the slightest hole.
     
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    • Black Dog

      Black Dog Gardener of useful things

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      Guess I would try to isolate that plant and just leave them be. Maybe gift it to a local school for observation. I'm sure there are lots of children, that find caterpillars/butterflies highly interesting and educational.
       
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      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

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        "Butterfly species hard hit by changeable weather patterns
        Butterfly Conservation’s current records show that many species of butterflies have had a poor spring or a delay in their emergence following 2021’s unseasonably cold and wet weather. The Speckled Wood was particularly low in numbers this spring, but the Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Green-veined White, Large White and Red Admiral were also all down in abundance compared with their 10-year average."

        There's always about a hundred Large Whites hanging around the village allotments trying to find a way through netting. I did think about doing my big butterfly count there.
         
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        • Welshman

          Welshman Gardener

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          Mine are pretty well netted with no gaps, i also use strong magnets on the back cage so the netting is easily removed for checking and or removing butterflies if they get in

          7AC7DB19-1F95-47B0-9ABF-A95AA780B79D.jpeg
           
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          • CarolineL

            CarolineL Total Gardener

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            Nice idea @jowwy ! Are the magnets those stick on strips? If not, how do you attach to the netting please?
             
          • Welshman

            Welshman Gardener

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            They are stick on strips, but i am stapling them to the timber and super glueing them to the plastic environmesh for extra security

            but to add weight i have added a length of timber along the bottom of the mesh, stapled, so extra security if windy.
             
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            • CarolineL

              CarolineL Total Gardener

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              Thanks @jowwy - I once tried using stick on velcro strips for shading in my greenhouse, but the stick-on didn't... and I didn't think of superglue - though perhaps something like 'Sticks Like' would have worked on the flimsy shading net.
               
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