Kitchen Garden Forum

Has anybody else got alot of butterflys about, until a fortnight ago we hardly saw one, now we have loads of them all over the cabbages.

Yes O.C, I have loads on my allotment, oh i forgot my allotment is next to yours.

Thanks Herbie, thats where they are all coming from is it.

Dear O.C, I think it's those giant Cabbages of mine that are attracting them, they probably can see them from miles away.

Hi OC & OH,

There's a lot down here as well the last few days. They seem to enjoy bouncing off the netting

Parsons Jack wrote:They seem to enjoy bouncing off the netting

Not all of them.

I had some medium sized mesh over my cabbages last year and found more than one Cabbage White sat on the netting poking its rear through the holes, laying eggs onto leaves that had grown up towards the mesh

They're not the only pests with this idea. This snail crept up the outside of the netting to do this:

Crafty buggers aren't they

Hi OC,

Not many whites around here this year, thank goodness!

Seen alot of flies though?

Yesterday I saw a small light blue butterfly yesterday in the garden, it didn't seem interested in anything growing, it just wanted to sunbathe!!

See retropants' contribution on "Best practices". I've also found enviromesh quite effective but there's always the odd insect which will tunnel its way in.

mike

Some cabbage whites here but millions of slugs and snails.

Good job I've got special jumping wellies at hand (on foot) every evening, along with the occasional torch!!!

I watched a cabbage white butterfly neatly fold back its wings to squeeze through netting to lay eggs last year....amazing

I am now trying the Rhubarb tea application to the brassicas...seems to be working so far

WEED. When I used to prepare the rhubarb mixture as a boy many moons ago, some soft soap was added, to make the mixture adhere.

Mike Vogel wrote:See retropants' contribution on "Best practices". I've also found enviromesh quite effective but there's always the odd insect which will tunnel its way in.

mike

that's if, when you say 'insect' you mean 'rabbit'

Thanks SM...a useful tip