Mullein moth

didyw

Am I asking for trouble?  The year before last lots of mullein appeared in my garden.  I got rid of it all.  More popped up this year and I pulled that too - apart from one which I thought I might let flower, just to see what it looked like.  
Now caterpillars of the mullein moth have appeared on it and I thought that it was great that I have something wildlife wants to eat (which is not my cabbages).
But I have some ornamental verbasum in another part of the garden which I don't want to sacrifice to hungry caterpillars.  Torn between gardening for wildlife (ie, providing habitat and food, not just nectar and pollen) and not wanting my ornamental verbascums decimated.

Dovefromabove

I feel your pain ... I love mullein moths and their caterpillars ... and I love verbascums too ... I would decide which verbascums were destined to be caterpillar fodder and transfer any caterpillars on the precious plants over to the sacrificial ones 

KayJ

I gave up growing verbascum because of the mullein moth caterpillar infestations. Noticed a couple on my buddleja the other day, which they also feed on, so maybe I need a sacrificial verbascum or two.....

nutcutlet

Habitat all the way for me

Jellyfire

I’d do what @Dovefromabove suggests, just keep an eye on the verbascum you don’t want munched, knock any caterpillars onto a seed tray and pop it near the ones you don’t mind sacrificing 

wild edges

If you have anywhere locally that has an invasive buddleja problem then relocating them there would probably be quite helpful. I've been trying to attract the moths here but no luck so far. 

Lyn

I grow the Mullein just for the moths.  They do get shredded but I don’t mine that,  I’m sure our bats enjoy the moths. 

didyw

Thanks everyone.  The caterpillars can stay - and I'll just keep an eye on the more ornamental verbascums and relocate to the sacrificial mullein should any caterpillars appear on those.

bertrand-mabel

Interesting as last year we had verbascums growing that we hadn't planted. Nearby was a mullein (also not planted but seeds from another in the garden). The mullein was soon stripped down by the caterpillars but the nearby verbascums weren't touched. No idea which verbascums they are but they stayed in flower for nearly 9 months.

Slow-worm

I assume verbascums aren't bothered by slugs & snails then?