Eek, something's eating my sunflowers!

I have some sunflower seedlings in a pot outside, soon to be transplanted (once I've got the border dug!).

They're living next to a big pot into which I have planted my honeysuckle (see other thread). The honeysuckle has a few holes in some of the leaves but looks none the worse for wear ... except now the sunflower babies have got all holey too, and are looking quite sick indeed! Any ideas?

 

Look on the underside of the leaves and you will probab;y find caterpillars. Hundreds of them! They are hatching out now and though tiny are voracious feeders and when in great numbers they can strip a leaf to the veins in no time.

If they are the culprit then best to remove the leaf and place it in a sealed poly bag until you can destroy it. The other option is to leave well alone and console yourself with all the beautiful butterflies and moths you will get later on,

 

Mine too - my little boys first shot at planting. I was almost tempted to swap the half eaten seedlings for some 6 foot monsters, but thought he'd expect that every year! Being a gardener, got to get used to disappointments sometimes!!

 

We've got black aphids on one of our sunflowers and it's fascinating watching the ants collecting the honeydew they secrete.

Not a great photo - it was a very awkward position and the ants started crawling over me too!

 

Great stuff - you can't get more macro than that!
Ants are amazing - shepherds, fungus farmers, gardeners, slave raiders, pet keepers, hunters, gatherers, warriors, nurses, miners, builders...

 

Just love ants Hornbeam. Such fascinating societies and what amazing power to weight ratios.

"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest" (Proverbs 6:6-8).