Box Caterpillar infestation

Allotment Boy

Hi everyone,

As some of you know I volunteer at Capel Manor Gardens in Enfield. Last week I "discovered" an infestation of Box caterpillar in one of the areas I was working on. At first it looked a bit like box blight with brown patches but close inspection showed the real culprits! We sprayed the plants straight away. This week the senior gardener I work with told me that one of the section heads had checked other areas & found other infestations so they plan to spray ALL the box plants in the various gardens (quite an undertaking). Later in the day a visitor to the gardens spoke to us she had some samples  of damaged stems from her garden & we were able to show her it was the same thing.  She was actually relieved it wasn't blight.  Apparently the last big outbreak was 2 years ago.

You have been warned keep vigilant!!

Allotment Boy

As you will note it was August last year but they are here already this year little blighters. Did anyone else hear John Humprhys on R4 moaning nearly two weeks ago that all his box had been devastated.

In case anyone is not sure what they look like here we are. They hide in a cocoon of silk so not always that easy to see. You see the munched leaves first!