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minty pests
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?
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#2
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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 |
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