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identification-required-please

Hi everyone,

Can you help me identify these little beggars please, they've systematically destroyed the unnamed plant that I was trying to grow (I can't remember what is was!!) and I kept leaving them thinking that the birds would just pick them off. But for some reason they aren't, the caterpillars are just multiplying and growing.

What are they please and are they poisenous to the birds?

Thanks as always for your help and feedback, Heather

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  • And for my next trick I will try attaching the photo

    Here we go:

     

     

    image

     

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    the pic didn't arrive Heather.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Its on now nutcutlet, I forgot to attach (its been a long day lol!)

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Large white butterfly I think, one of the whites anyway. As far as I know the birds do eat them but maybe there's something they like better. Pick them off a throw them on the lawn away from the cabbages (if you have a lawn)



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Thanks Nutcutlet. Will get big strong (and more importantly brave!!) other half to pick them off. I'm such a wimp I'll never be a true, all embracing gardener lol I just can't do caterpillars. Thanks again, Heather

  •   Nematodes from organic gardening suppliers ae supposed to be good but you have to have the right conditions for them to thrive. Contact insecticide or covering with netting or fleece to keep the butterflies from laying their eggs in the first pace are other options or spraying with liquid soap or hand picking. A jet ofhose water can also help dislodge them ut it needs persistence whatever you try. 

  • Thanks for the input Newcastle, I've noticed they can be persistent little critters. I'll soldier on and see how I go, too late sadly for that plant, its a goner image

  • Waterbutts you crack me up! But as for the following them round part, I can do that. Anyone that knows me already thinks I'm slightly crazy anyway so if I did get seen they'd probably just say "oh bless there she goes again" but thankfully I don't have any near neighbours so it'd just be the other half and he's quite used to me now! 

  • addictaddict Posts: 659
    nutcutlet wrote (see)

    Large white butterfly I think, one of the whites anyway. As far as I know the birds do eat them but maybe there's something they like better. Pick them off a throw them on the lawn away from the cabbages (if you have a lawn)

    They don't nut. They taste nasty to birds apparently which is why the cabbage white thrives while other species are in decline. Get your marigolds on heather and get picking and or squishing lol.

  • thanks addict that explains a lot. oh well, big brave other half it is or me with a full on space suit and a six foot pole hehe 

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