Green caterpillar on purple sprouting broccoli
By Treeman
1 Sep, 2013
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I am used to picking cabbage white caterpillars off my brassicas but these chaps are new.
Anybody know what they are? I googled them and mostly got US sites which have a similar beast called a Cabbage Worm. I am not a sufficiently good entymologist to identify them and so thougth I would ask. If it is something like a Meadow Brown then it can chomp away .. I can spare it a leaf or two, but if it is just a brassica munching machine eg cabbage white and friends, then I am afraid they are destined for the hens garden.
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Gardening with friends since
9 Aug, 2009
Well, I've just been poking the webatron and it has revealed the answer.
What a lucky chap I am this morning. Not only do I have the large cabbage white caterpillars which are yellow and black hairy munchers, but I also have the small cabbage white caterpillars which are green and can be seen pictured above. A complete set of Cabbage Whites!!
The small cabbage white caterpillars not only enjoy the leaf of purple sprouting broccoli but also enjoy the hearts of cabbages. I read that in the August/September annual epidemic the small cabbage white caterpillars often outnumber their larger chums.... how super...NOT ;O(
The good news is the hens are sharpening their beaks for their elevenses treat :O)
1 Sep, 2013