Spotted the first moth on a cabbage transplant this morning. I have BT, but haven't used it yet. I covered the plants with a lightweight spun fabric and will check on them for worms of any kind, then dust with BT.
My shovel was handy and although I felt sad about crushing a pretty little butterfly, I did it anyway!
Cabbage moths
roseone33 - I know how you feel killing that butterfly - I do the same thing. I would love to plant a butterfly garden, but then I say to myself: "Why invite trouble?!"
Incidentally, black wasps will carry away caterpillars to feed to their young. They are much more persistent in finding them than I am.
I just saw my first cabbage moth this morning. Like a fool, I shooed it away and then thought -- what, am I going to stand here all day doing that? Obviously not.
I don't have row covers and my veggies are spread out in little clumps all over the yard. But I do have BT. Guess I need to re-read info on using it, since I've forgotten the why's and wherefore's of it over the past year. I'm really committed to trying to stop insect damage at the very first sign this year.
I haven't seen a cabbage moth yet, but I know they will be here, think I'll try to find my covers -- hm-m-m-m-m that will be fun.
Anyone know what else they will damage? Kohlorbi? Broccoli?
Should I cover all of it just to be safe? Thanks!
Kohlrabi and Broccoli are in the same family, so they will both be attractive to the cabbage butterfly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_White
Which is different from a cabbage moth:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Moth
I found one in the gh the other day sitting on one of my broccoli plants. My daughter and son came out just as I caught it and killed it. They both gasped and asked me why I would do such a thing. I told them that they would lay eggs and their babies would eat the plants.
Yesterday he was trying to kill every bug he could so they wouldn't "have babies" on my plants.
I remember patrolling the garden with a butterfly net as a child.
onyxwar, its time for a cool bug ID book from the library or one of his very own (don't know how old your little guy is). My brother and I spent hours outside with book in hand ID'ing bugs and my sons loved doing this too! My brother even had a bug collection for 4H.
Now I wish I still have that book as I could use it in my garden here!
Yes!!!!! They'll go for broccoli and kale and chinese cabbage and mustard!!!!!!!!!! Ask me how I know. Not this year!
Not in my garden. Over my dead body or theirs.
Here's a link that will help you identify what's bugging your garden:
http://vegipm.tamu.edu/indexbyvegetable.html
I do have a bug book and we did look through it the other day. Now he is asking before he squishes anything.
Well, sadly, I did not get those covers on my plants. . . and had to be away for a couple of days, with a neighbor girl feeding my animals (2 dogs, 1 cat, 6 goats, and 12 chicks).
The goats managed to get out of their pen and find my garden. Need I say anymore?
I think they will come back. I hope they will!
gretagreenthumb - O, dear! Yes, goats will eat anything that doesn't contain meat.