organic solution for caterpillars?

[Hillbilly]

Apart from picking them off (because for some reason they completely gross me out *shudder*) - are there any organically freindly solutions for ridding my broccoli of caterpillars? Next year we're putting netting over them to stop the sodding butterlfies laying in the first place but need something to work this year after the fact..its quite a problem.

[Shirley]

Just caught a butterfly laying it's eggs on my salad leaves - grrrrrrr pretty but grrrrrr.

[The Chili Monster]

Knock 'em to ground and stamp hard?

[hedgewizard]

You can apply derris dust to kill them or spray with a biocontroller (the nemasure people make one).

[Hillbilly]

Thankfor that HW Have ordered some from TOGC.

[digiveg]

Hedgewizard, I'm surprised at you! Of course you don't need derris or any other loathsome stuff...

Either pick and drop said 'pillars, or brush them carefully (thus avoiding having to touch them, if you're icky about it), into a jar - and then put them on something else that they'll be able to eat. Butterflies are FAR more scarce than they used to be, and we should be encouraging them rather than otherwise. So, if you want a 'clean' crop, it's our responsibility to net it responsibly, or we should really deal, responsibly, with the wriggling wresult...

[Shirley]

I don't mind most butterflies but the white ones that lay on my salads are not invited :)

Can't you plant specific plants that certain butterflies will choose to lay their eggs on - nettles etc.

[hedgewizard]

Of course you can pick them out and relocate them, and sacrifice plants are always an option (though not for brassicas as most are favoured above all else!), but remember what we're replying to.

Apart from picking them off (because for some reason they completely gross me out *shudder*)

Hmm? I can assure you my OH wouldn't even go near them with a brush on the end of a pole!

As for the matter of survival of butterfly species, that's far more about availability of suitable habitat generally than about the fate of bugs on your food plants. I provide various wilderness habitats in the garden here but have no qualms about protecting my own dinner (not entirely sharing your views on karma!).

You're quite right about the nets though, and it's on my list for next year's growing season. Honest. It's no wonder some people don't grow brassicas at all...

[ina]

Just dared a look at the brassicas in my garden - I seem to have a new variety: lace-leaf cabbage... Not much longer, and there won't be any leaf left at all! So far the caterpillars are tiny (but very, very hungry ), so picking them off would probably put too much of a strain on my eyes - I think I shall try to wash them off with a sponge.

[Shirley]

Our brassicas seem to be ok... (touch wood) - some of the squash leaves have been munched though but others are doing well...

[jonc]

Spent the afternoon picking about 700 of the wrigglers off a jostaberry bush I have. It's a new bush and they've removed most of the leaves so I'm hoping it survives for next year.

This is the first year I've grown anything like this in the garden, and I'm finding lots of issues like this that I didn't expect. All good learning I guess :) Now, I just need to get rid of the slugs.... ;)

[Chickpea]

I read a story about cultural differences that went something like this:

A little Maori girl came home from school and showed her grandfather what she had been doing at school that day. In her exercise book she had written, "Last weekend I killed all the butterflies. This is me, and this is the butterflies", and she had drawn a little picture. Her grandfather smiled and said, "That's wonderful, and what did your teacher say"? The little girl looked at her shoes and said, "She was very angry. She said the butterflies are God's beautiful creatures and the just flutter about and look pretty and it was wrong to kill them". The grandfather said "Well your teacher said that because - the reason why your teacher said that is - she buys all her cabbages from the supermarket".

[digiveg]

I've found that a sacrificial plant or two is a great idea, particularly for brassicas. If you didn't bother netting, then you'll have LOADS of 'uninvited' guests - but remember, folks, butterflies can't tell whether they're invited or not. They see a foodplant, they lay eggs. So, NET them if you don't want the results. That's a choice we can work with: butterflies can't.

If you do get 'pillars, as you surely will if you don't net (unless you live in a totally poisoned area already), transfer them to a couple of plants that you can afford to do without.

Caterpillars are...well, different body, different level of awareness, but basically just like us: they don't want to suffer, and want to be happy. If in doubt, pick one up - it will curl up, because it's frightened, just like we would be. But they're in a caterpillar body, which is extremely limited. We're not, so we can choose take care of them. We're not wasps, so we don't HAVE to behave like predators. So, do the right thing! Be a better human! Help them out.

Believe me, the rest of the crop will taste better if you do.

I don't even kill slugs or snails. I just go round, pick them up, and relocate them. For me, it's the price of growing. If I'm growing things I enjoy eating, I would be amazed if nothing else shared that view. But I try to remember: everything wants to be happy - and the best way to be so, myself, is to do what I can to help the little guys be happy, too.

[WitchypooNo2]

Hang on thats all well and good but we closhed all our brassicas. 1 cabbage looper got in and laid its flippin eggs in one corner and withing days hundreds of evil greenies had spreadacross the whole crop so derris it had to be! and we have managed to salvage a few. My DH and I spent 4 hours manually removing the big caterpillars and squishing *shudder* the littlies and yet still they can and still they munched so derris has been sprayed on and we will hopefully get at least one head of broccolli from 16 plants the big pillers get fed to the chooks or the fish. Our garden is full of lovely flowers and next to our lottie is a plot covers in lushious weeds. My feeling if the butterfly/moth is stoopid enough to battle through a cloche its bebbies deserve squishing or death by chicken!!!!!

[hedgewizard]

Would I be right in thinking you're not fond of caterpillars?