Are you getting a bit fed up with these guys munching their way through your cabbages, sprouts and broccoli? If so, don’t despair – the end is nigh…most cabbage-munching caterpillars are done with eating by the end of this month so we only have a few weeks to go and then your crops will be safe again.
You normally have three types of caterpillar to contend with; the yellow and black large cabbage white, the green small cabbage white and the green cabbage moth caterpillar. It’s difficult to tell the last two apart but they tend to do a bit more damage as they quite enjoy nibbling their way through broccoli heads and cauliflower heads. They’re also a bit more camouflaged so you need to look a little more closely to find them.
For the next few weeks until they finish eating, just keep being vigilant – pick caterpillars off as you see them on plants and relocate them to another area in the garden. Wipe off any eggs (often found on the undersides of leaves) to prevent them from hatching. Good luck!