Look out for Pests on new plants in the Greenhouse

[PLUMPUDDING]

My lettuces have been badly munched over the past week and a mystery creature has nibbled a lot of the seed leaves off the florence fennel, and now it has moved on to the spinach.

I put extra slug pellets down but have not caught any slugs.
It isn't cut worms as it is the ends of the leaves that are being eaten and the stalks left in tact.
I did find two green caterpillars which I removed - apple green ones with a darker green line down each side. They looked like some kind of moth caterpillar. But two caterpillars could not have done all that damage.
There are a few woodlice, but they would not cause this kind of damage either.
Ants would not have made such big bites and I don't think they would eat leaves on this scale anyway.

I've checked all the plants over and could not find any other pests, and in case whatever it was was hiding in the soil I ruffled all the soil round and between the plants.

I'm rather puzzled about this as I've never had the problem before.

I'm going with my torch tonight to see if I can catch the culprit as it seems to happen at night.

It isn't mice, so must be some kind of caterpillar.

Does anyone know if caterpillars hide in the day and come out at night?

I'll report back if I find anything tonight.

[Elaine]

Dear Plumpudding. I have had the same problem for the first time this year and I was puzzled too. In my case, the culprit turned out to be earwigs!
I found one slumbering all nice and cosy, inside a pepper, it had nibbled a hole in the side to gain entry. I caught two more like this, dispatched them, and haven't had any more problems since. (touch wood)
Cheers.

[Johnboy]

Hi Plumpudding,
The Earwig can and will cause the damage that you describe so what Elaine has said has probably found the culprits.
Certainly Wood Lice can do an enormous amount of damage in crops under cover. They feed at night and this is why people cannot believe that it is Wood Lice that have done the damage because they never catch them at it. (or nibbling your plants!)
JB.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I caught the culprits lastnight by torchlight. They were Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing moth caterpillars. Six very large fat ones. They were happily munching through the spinach. They hide in the soil in the day time and come out to eat at night and then they pupate and over-winter in the soil ready to hatch next year. These won't anyway, and I'm going to have another look tonight. They are very difficult to spot against the soil though.

I've spent half an hour trying to put a photo of them on, but have failed.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Plumpudding, now that is interesting and very well concluded.
Maybe if Alan reads this, he might be able to produce one of his helpful links.

[Elaine]

Hi Plumpudding. I'm glad you found your culprit! It's a lovely moth but not when it's offspring devour your plants!
Cheers.

[alan refail]

Dear Plumpudding, now that is interesting and very well concluded.
Maybe if Alan reads this, he might be able to produce one of his helpful links.

Happy to oblige

Broad-bordered yellow underwing.jpg (14.14 KiB) Viewed 3830 times

Noctua fimbriata.jpg (28.75 KiB) Viewed 3832 times

For more moths see http://ukmoths.org.uk/index.php

[oldherbaceous]

And as if by magic, cheers Alan.

[alan refail]

Croeso i chi hen gyfaill

You're welcome old friend

[PLUMPUDDING]

Thanks Alan, They are big chunky grubs and I found another six last night as well. No wonder my plants were disappearing.

I'm going to check again every night until I think I've caught them all.

I had seen the moths outside, but never thought they would come into the greenhouse to lay their eggs.