Is it just me?

[lainey lou]

...or do there seem to be more cabbage whites than ever this year? I just can't seem to get on top of them and my poor brassicas are pretty much all stalk and stem now, we've even gone past the lace doily stage.

[MaureenHall]

There do seem to be loads of them but I can't comment on what it's been like in the past - only started growing brassicas this year

[zazen999]

We've decided to limit our brassicas next year to 3 PSB, and swedes and cabbages only. Too many caterpillars to keep on top of; every day another shed load - takes the shine off of eating them.

[rustylady]

No, it's not just you. We didn't have many in the earlier part of the year but boy are they making up for it now. I don't believe it takes 5 days for the eggs to hatch either, I've been scraping them off the leaves religiously and I've still got cabbage white caterpillars taking over the whole allotment.

[Comfreyfan]

I was only thinking this afternoon there seemed to be more than ever - and they just seem to be going on and on, there are still new batches of baby ones appearing - it's September for goodness sake, don't they realise?

[coomber]

Bl@@dy loads of them, my sprouts, cabbages and psb are just stalks now - i've given up trying to remove eggs and catapillers.

[di]

We've also lost loads to them!I've started of a new brassica bed which so far.....is doing o.k!(did't want to risk putting new plants anywhere near where already existing caterpillars may be loitering!!)Gutted though as the 1st lot were all grown from seed~the 2nd lot I had to buy as plants!
Don't know if he was pulling my leg or not?(tis easily pulled!)but there's one chap at the lottie that hasn't suffered any damage~no nets & very poor eyesightso can't imagine he managed to pick them all off!anyway he claims to pee in a bottle dilute with water & then water the plants at the base~not touching the actual plant.Can't say as yet we've tried it(in fact for me peeing in a bottle may take some practise!)Kind of got put off a little when i overthought the idea that for it to work the pee has to become existent in the leaves!That said our toms & pumpkins have enjoyed a copious amount of cow poo this year..!~maybe time to stop thinking!!

[vicky]

....I will certainly be investing in 'debris netting' next year. My 'insect netting' is not very good against cabbage whites....
I have to agree, the damage didn't seem too bad till a couple of weeks ago but now it has just got crazy and in the wet weather I'm not so hot on picking them off. And those bad chickens won't eat caterpillars, I ended up lawnmowing them yesterday! (Not the chickens, the caterpillars!)