Mullein Moths

Discussion in 'Wildlife Corner' started by Scrungee, Jun 17, 2012.

  1. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

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    As there doesn't appear to have been anything new in around 6 years? posted on these, I've started another thread.



    mullein moth lots.jpg
    mullein moth group.jpg mullein moth single.jpg
     
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    • Phil A

      Phil A Guest

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      Cor. they're destructive but great Scrunge:dbgrtmb:
       
    • joolz68

      joolz68 Total Gardener

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      Bloomin eck:gaah: i hope i dont get them,ive only got 1 mullien and its huge,is that in your garden scrungee? your:cry3: poor plant
       
    • Lolimac

      Lolimac Guest

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      Cor never seen those before Scrungee....amazing:cool:
       
    • Scrungee

      Scrungee Well known for it

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      I let the mullein grow in rough, perimeter areas around my plot so the moths have somewhere to breed. They always seem to disappear down into the soil to pupate before they've destroyed all the blooms, so there's normally something left to shake the seeds out of and get some more plants going and start the whole cycle all over again.

      So I don't think of them as pests destroying my plants, more like I've been successful in habitat creation (for both the plant & the moth).
       
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      • Palustris

        Palustris Total Gardener

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        Me too. In fact once the moths have gone I pull out all but one seed producing plant. Only grow them for the moths.
         
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        • joolz68

          joolz68 Total Gardener

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          I shall do the same then guys:blue thumb:ive just been and checked mine and ive got white mildew patches on about 3 leaves?could be do do with it growing against the greenhouse? any ideas plz ? also a quarter of 1 leaf has been eaten by someone,so i shall give it a good check in the morn :) i didnt know moths needed them but i noticed in april the ladybirds were keeping snug in the leaves :blue thumb:
           
        • joolz68

          joolz68 Total Gardener

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          Thinking more about them ...are they the same caterpillar that love ragwort? i seem to remember some same or similar when i used to dig it out of our horses grazing land:)
           
        • pete

          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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          I've seen these caterpillars before.
          If they mess with me they wont last long.
          I quite like Verbascum thapsus, even if it might be considered a weed.
          [​IMG]
           
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          • Jenny namaste

            Jenny namaste Total Gardener

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            I love them too Pete. The lemon yellow flower/grey leaf combi makes my heart flutter.....:wub2:
             
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            • joolz68

              joolz68 Total Gardener

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              Is that why the caterpillars have yellow on them?ragworts a yellow flower aswell :) soz too many questions :heehee: x
               
            • Scrungee

              Scrungee Well known for it

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              Those will most probably have been Cinnabars on ragwort and they should be about now as I took this pic on June 25th last year:

              cinnabars.jpg
               
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              • Scrungee

                Scrungee Well known for it

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                They've all gone and so has most of the plant. Loads of caterpillar poo all over it.

                mullein moth gone.jpg
                 
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                • miraflores

                  miraflores Total Gardener

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                  but the colours are fantastic
                   
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