Sounds like the attack of the Cabbage Butterfly. Don't despair, just
get some BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) from your garden center, mix it up,
spray it on, repeat according to package directions. It's a bacillus
that kills only caterpillars, not toxic to you (organic approved), and
one of the few sprays I bother to put on my garden. It's sold under a
number of brand names: just ask for BT at the garden center. If
shopping at a big box store where the help knows nada about gardening,
just look at the ingredients label till you find one that says BT, and
FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS on the label. (Shouting because so many don't
read all directions, think more is good, and end up poisoning the world
or at least wasting product!) Good luck. W.

Antipodean Bucket Farmer wrote:

Hi Everybody,

I have experienced a caterpillar attack on my broccoli
and then similar-appearing damage to my cauliflower.

The broccoli was an obvious victim, since I caught them
in the act, swarming on the head of a couple of plants
one morning. The cauliflower have recieved lots of
holes in the the leaves, just like a previous symptom
on the broccoli. And I also found a bunch of apparant
larvae on one of the cauliflower leaves.

However, other vegetables in the same area were left
alone.

Is this just a coincidence? Just a random, one-time
distribution of the caterpillar population? Or does
this indicate some dietary preference?

This specific gang of perpetrators are each about a
centemetre or so long, neon-green, and walk with a sort
of "inch-worm" type wave through their body (but the
legs are obvious.) I think the butterfly version is a
small, white variety.

Comments? Thanks.

-V.





--
Joseph S. Larson
27 Arnold Road
Pelham, MA 01002-9757
413-256-8256
http://myprofile.cos.com/larson358