GardenBanter.co.uk - minty pests

I had trouble two years ago with green caterpilars eating basil and adjacent
pepper (but not tomato plants) all in a small conservatory.
I think the culprit was the speckled yellow moth whose caterpillars (2-3cm)
are green and feed on a range of plants including dead nettles, wood sage
and woundwort. The caterpillars matched the picture in my reference book and
there are masses of pink and yellow lamium in the garden. The moth is also
very common in the southern half of England and Wales.Pupae are deposited in
ground litter.
Another possible candidate is the small magpie moth, very common in England
and Ireland-caterpillars feed on nettles or mint, are small c1cm long,but in
my picture greyish white rather than green. Pupae pass the winter in
'transparent silk cocoons placed under bark or such places.'
I had no trouble with basil in the last two years-relocated in new
greenhouse, strimmed up lamium near the house.
It may be if you relocated the mint in the soil it would have more chance.
The plant would be tougher and altogether more vigorous.
Pyrethrum spray is also a non-people toxic option.
regards
David T
"monkeypuzzle" wrote in message
...

i have a small selection of herbs in the garden - in pots - that i use
for cooking. one of these is mint and every year i have a battle with
some little green caterpillars that devastate the whole plant - even
eating throughthe stems. i have seen a small moth near the plant which
could be the culprit. short of killing the offenders individually is
there something i can do to prevent the systematic destruction of my
plants?

--
monkeypuzzle