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Caterpillars
Plants affected: Most caterpillars are specific to a type of plant, for example cabbage white.
Symptoms: Holes in leaves similar to those caused by slugs and snails. You can tell the difference because caterpillars leave excrement rather than slime trails.
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Prevention/Control: Pick off any caterpillars you find by hand and encourage natural predators, such as birds. Alternatively, spray with a suitable pesticide. A lightweight, plastic, small mesh cage over the top of brassicas will prevent the butterflies from getting on to the foliage to lay eggs.
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Vine weevil
Plants affected: The grubs will attack the roots of almost any young plant in a container. They are especially fond of primulas and cyclamen. Plants in soil are less at risk.
Symptoms: Plants quickly turn yellow and wilt. Unfortunately, at this stage it’s usually too late to save them. For an advance warning that vine weevils are about, look for notches bitten out of the sides of leaves by adult beetles.
Prevention/Control: At night-time, take a torch into the garden and sprinkle a thick layer of grit around those plants at risk to deter egg-laying adults, and any grubs or adults that you see. (You can see them on the leaves with a torch!) To kill the grubs in containers, use biological control or apply a pesticide that contains Imidacloprid. (Cultural control; ensure you get rid of old compost in pots and baskets.)
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