Very Hungry Caterpillars

[umslopogaas]

doversoul, apparently what badgers eat is highly contentious. I know this because an old friend of mine, Tim Roper, has just written a New Naturalist book on them, 'Badger' and he very kindly gave me a free copy. It seems that either they eat more or less exclusively earthworms, or they are generalist omnivores, eating whatever plant and animal material is available. The experts are still arguing, it seems. Either way however, they (the badgers, not the experts) definitely eat earthworms, so I expect that is why they are digging in your carrot patch.

Judging from the illustrations in this book, badgers have unusually powerful jaws and formidable teeth. They wouldnt need all that just to eat worms,so I suspect worms are preferred, but they can cope with tougher stuff when worms arent available.

[gurnemanz]

I don't grow brassicas but have noticed that caterpillars are very effective at stripping the leaves off gooseberry bushes.

[Anna]

The odd thing is, there are very few butterflies this year. I have hardly seen cabbage whites.

That's really surprising! Some of us took part in The Big Butterfly Count - it's been the best year ever for them and Small Whites topped the chart for numbers spotted with the Large Whites in second place (Peacocks were 3rd)
My beans are finished now, still got some green tomatoes so it'll be the windowledge for them to see if they'll ripen. In view of the lovely summer we've had I've been disappointed in the tomatoes.

[umslopogaas]

That will be the larvae of the gooseberry sawfly. They look very like caterpillars, but the adults are technically speaking wasp relatives: sawflies are in the Hymenoptera, not the Lepidoptera. The one that goes for gooseberries is very destructive.

[gurnemanz]

That will be the larvae of the gooseberry sawfly. They look very like caterpillars, but the adults are technically speaking wasp relatives: sawflies are in the Hymenoptera, not the Lepidoptera. The one that goes for gooseberries is very destructive.

Thanks for that info. I am now wiser. I even Googled them to find out even more.

[subcontrabass]

still got some green tomatoes so it'll be the windowledge for them to see if they'll ripen.

Why let them ripen? Either cook them or make chutney. Green tomatoes, cut in half, little dab of butter on top, grill or fry: much better than red ones for his - they hold their shape and they have a wonderful tang. If you want a good recipe for green tomatoe chutney I can provide one.

[Anna]

Why let them ripen? Either cook them or make chutney. Green tomatoes, cut in half, little dab of butter on top, grill or fry: much better than red ones for his - they hold their shape and they have a wonderful tang. If you want a good recipe for green tomatoe chutney I can provide one.

I have cooked them but I've never made chutney, not sure if I have enough, but I'd like your recipe. Thanks.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm not sure how relevant or important this is, but when I was staying in Rendlesham, Suffolk in August, there was a caterpillar of some kind that looked really evil, with a large head. It was stripping the leaves from trees with incredible efficiency, but we could not find out what the larva was. Was it some new and deadly tree disease, or was it merely the offspring of a common butterfly that has been doing this for years. The local gardeners were quite concerned and wanted to investigate.

[umslopogaas]

Ein Alp, are you a member of the Royal Horticultural Society, or do you know anyone who is? If you ring the RHS at Wisley 01483 224234 or 0845 2609000 and ask the receptionist to put you through to one of the entomologists, they should know. It would be helpful if you could tell them which tree species were affected.

Alternatively, you could ring Forest Research at Alice Holt Lodge near Farnham on 01420 22255 and ask them. As far as I know, their advisory service is open to all: I dont think there is a charge for advice over the phone.

[subcontrabass]

I have cooked them but I've never made chutney, not sure if I have enough, but I'd like your recipe. Thanks.

This was the recipe my mother used (which she got from one of my aunts circa 1954). The result is delicious (even though it will take several days for the smell of the cooking to disappear). Keep at least three months before eating. From experience it matures well and tastes even better after 10 years.

Green Tomato Chutney

2 lbs Green Tomatoes

2 lbs Onions

1 lb Apples

8 oz Raisins

8 oz Sultanas

1 lb Brown Sugar

1.5 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

1.5 teaspoons Ground Ginger

3 oz Salt

9 fl oz Vinegar

Mince apples, onions, tomatoes. Mix all ingredients and boil for 90 mins to 2 hours.

[ardcarp]

Going off at a tangent...well several tangents really....I just thought I'd mention some lepidoptera-related personal experiences.

1. Seeing hummingbird hawkmoths. Occasionally we see them hovering over honeysuckle outside our backdoor and lowering a fine proboscis into the flowers to feed off nectar.

2. Finding elephant hawkmoth larvae. Probably the biggest yukkiest caterpillar you'll ever see. Up to 3 inches long, black, and with a trunk.

3. Seeing a cabbage white caterpillar (the normal green sort) that had been parasitised by an ichneumon wasp. The tiny wasp lays eggs inside a live caterpillar (I didn't see this bit) but when they hatch the wasp larvae eat their way out leaving the caterpillar full of holes...and dead. The answer to your brassica problem, Dovers?