Caterpillars

Caterpillars are the juvenile stage of butterflies and moths and chew into plant tissue.  They commonly feed on foliage, young stems and buds.  They vary in colour and size according to the species and most are great at hiding from hungry predators so they’re not always easy to find. However they have enormous appetites and can devour large sections of a plant very quickly so you’ll certainly see the damage.  Another telltale sign of a caterpillar attack is often you’ll see their droppings left on lower leaves.

Plants Attacked
All plants are vulnerable.

Organic Control Methods for Caterpillars

• At the first sign of damage spray with OCP eco-neem or OCP eco-caterpillar killer on edibles. Caterpillars will stop feeding after ingesting either product (so the damage stops straight away) and then take a couple of days to die.
• Plant more flowering plants around your veggie patch to attract predatory insects and birds that will feed on caterpillars.
• Pick off caterpillars by hand (they like to hide underneath leaves) and feed them to the chooks.