The caterpillar describes itself as a child star that appears in a well-known children's book. It is very hungry and eats leaves, fruit, and flower buds. It grows up to 40mm long and lays eggs as an adult butterfly. It dislikes many of its predators like birds and ladybugs. Gardeners will know caterpillars have been present if they find holes in leaves and fruit along with dark green droppings. Natural and organic controls for caterpillars include spraying them off plants with water, collecting them by hand, and encouraging their predators like assassin bugs and lacewings.

1. Caterpillars
Hi, my name is: Caterpillar
Describe yourself: I am a child star, and appear in a really well known children’s book! It’s true, I
am very hungry, and even though I am very young (we are the larvae of moths and butterflies), my
enormous appetite is impressive! I’m very recognisable and come in many sizes and colours. I’m
even known to be striped or spotted. I hatch from an egg and from these humble beginnings I
rapidly grow. By the time I’m a teenager I can be from 25mm to 40mm long.
Hobbies: Eating and chewing leaves and sometimes boring into fruit. I work late into the night and
often chew young plants right off at ground level! When I’m an adult I fly around laying eggs for the
next generation to emerge.
Likes: Leaves, (especially soft, fleshy ones), fruit, fleshy young flower buds. I’m good at hiding and
have some great camouflage techniques!
Dislikes: Birds, Assassin Bugs, Paper Wasps, Lacewings and Ladybirds. I hate soaps – like home
made chilli soap, or store bought stuff. I can’t stand Dipel… that stuff makes me totally sick! Success
Naturalyte really ticks me off!

2. You’ll know you’ve met me when: Your plants’ leaves are full of holes; there are loads of my dark
green droppings around, and your fruit and flower buds have big bore holes in them!
Old School Control Methods: Mavrik, Baythroid, Malathion, Lebaycid, Carbayrl
Breaking up ain’t hard to do… if:
Spray your plants’ leaves with water and knock me and my mates right off our perch!s
Squash me and my mates by hand or [ay the kids next door to do it! It’s icky but effective!s
Collect me in a bucket and feed me to the chooks!s
Encourage or release some of my well known enemies like Assassin Bugs, Ladybirds ands
Lacewings.
Release some Bacillius thuringiensis bacteria to kill me and all members of my family. (It hurts nos
others!) You can buy this in your local nursery.
Cover your edible crops with fine mesh or similar. Then my beautiful mum can’t land and lay hers
eggs.
Photographs: Elaine Shallue, SGA