The mint with several holes in it
 

Hi folks,

First post... glad to see there's a uk gardening NG! Hope you don't mind
me piling in with a question.

I live in the S.London/Surrey suburbs, and noticed today that something
has taken up residence in our mint. The tender leaves at the end of each
shoot are all curled up and deformed. Closer inspection reveals that
they've been made into cocoons. Here's a photo...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrianclark/24948449/

There's a few black specks visible on there, possibly eggs? I managed to
find one of the cocoons with something inside it; a tiny green
caterpillar with black speckles. To give you some idea of size, this is
on my little finger (and the photo would have been more in focus if the
little bugger had kept still)...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrianclark/24948369/

I've tried searching Google (and the archives for URG) for mint pests,
but to no avail. As far as I can tell, the creatures are too long to be
vine weevil larvae, as well as being the wrong colour. Any suggestions
gratefully received...


Adrian

In article , Adrian Clark
writes
As far as I can tell, the creatures are too long to be
vine weevil larvae, as well as being the wrong colour.

and in the wrong place! Vine weevil larvae go for the roots.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"Adrian Clark" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,

First post... glad to see there's a uk gardening NG! Hope you don't
mind
me piling in with a question.

I live in the S.London/Surrey suburbs, and noticed today that
something
has taken up residence in our mint. The tender leaves at the end of
each
shoot are all curled up and deformed. Closer inspection reveals that
they've been made into cocoons. Here's a photo...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrianclark/24948449/

There's a few black specks visible on there, possibly eggs? I
managed to
find one of the cocoons with something inside it; a tiny green
caterpillar with black speckles. To give you some idea of size, this
is
on my little finger (and the photo would have been more in focus if
the
little bugger had kept still)...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrianclark/24948369/

I've tried searching Google (and the archives for URG) for mint
pests,
but to no avail. As far as I can tell, the creatures are too long to
be
vine weevil larvae, as well as being the wrong colour. Any
suggestions
gratefully received...

Adrian, Hi.
This reminds me very much of the Nettle-tap moth caterpillar which
feeds on new nettle growth.
It is not the same but very similar - both the web cocoon, the
deformed growth tip and the shape and size of the caterpillar.
Try googling for something along the lines of 'mint moth' and see what
that brings up.
I've got an image of the Nettle-tap at
http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/moths%20p4.html#nettle
for comparison.

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 09.07.2005

In article , "ned"
wrote:

This reminds me very much of the Nettle-tap moth caterpillar which
feeds on new nettle growth.
It is not the same but very similar - both the web cocoon, the
deformed growth tip and the shape and size of the caterpillar.
Try googling for something along the lines of 'mint moth' and see what
that brings up.

Aha... I think you've cracked it, ned. It didn't occur to me to
concentrate on moths, but that Nettle Tap caterpillar is very similar. A
Google search on "mint moth" brought up a picture of the adult moth,
which instantly reminded me of something. A quick browse through some
macro shots I'd taken of plants and insects last summer, and sure
enough... a close-up of the (then unidentified) culprit sitting on the
jasmine bush.

Many thanks!


Adrian

Adrian Clark wrote:
In article , "ned"
wrote:

This reminds me very much of the Nettle-tap moth caterpillar which
feeds on new nettle growth.
It is not the same but very similar - both the web cocoon, the
deformed growth tip and the shape and size of the caterpillar.
Try googling for something along the lines of 'mint moth' and see
what that brings up.

Aha... I think you've cracked it, ned. It didn't occur to me to
concentrate on moths, but that Nettle Tap caterpillar is very
similar. A Google search on "mint moth" brought up a picture of the
adult moth, which instantly reminded me of something. A quick browse
through some macro shots I'd taken of plants and insects last
summer,
and sure enough... a close-up of the (then unidentified) culprit
sitting on the jasmine bush.

Many thanks!

:-))
Doncha just love it when that happens.

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 09.07.2005

"Adrian Clark" wrote in message
...
In article , "ned"
wrote:

This reminds me very much of the Nettle-tap moth caterpillar which
feeds on new nettle growth.
It is not the same but very similar - both the web cocoon, the
deformed growth tip and the shape and size of the caterpillar.
Try googling for something along the lines of 'mint moth' and see what
that brings up.

Aha... I think you've cracked it, ned. It didn't occur to me to
concentrate on moths, but that Nettle Tap caterpillar is very similar. A
Google search on "mint moth" brought up a picture of the adult moth,
which instantly reminded me of something. A quick browse through some
macro shots I'd taken of plants and insects last summer, and sure
enough... a close-up of the (then unidentified) culprit sitting on the
jasmine bush.

Many thanks!


Adrian

I had very similar (the same?) caterpillars on rosemary early in the season,
before the mint was even through.

Duncan

In article ,
"Duncan" wrote:


I had very similar (the same?) caterpillars on rosemary early in the season,
before the mint was even through.


Have you seen them on anything else? The website I looked at mentioned
marjoram as a favourite food, but they're not touching ours.

I'm also wondering whether to get medieval on them or be lenient... ;-)



Adrian