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Cornucopia - Australia

cabbage moths and broccoli

21 years ago

Hi Folks, I have just looked out my window to see a whole flutter of white cabbage moths invading my broccoli, cabbages and brussel Sprouts....I have spent a portion of each day checking the undersides of the leaves for grubs but this invasion is going to wipe me out unless I spray ...why do the darn things have to tell each other!

Any suggestions as to a solution that won't destroy the good bugs in my garden?I had hoped to follow Jackie French's idea of planting some for the bugs ...but the darn things want the Lot!

Smiles Soo

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Comments (4)

Raymondo
21 years ago
Dipel spray if you want to spray something. Apply it every 7 to 10 days and make sure you spray the underside of the leaves. Dipel is available at most nursery outlets. It's basically a bug that makes caterpillars sicken and die. Supposedly not harmful to other living creatures.
Maybe you could try the white plastic butterfly trick as well. Get some stiff white plastic and cut out butterfly shapes, stick 'em on spikes and decorate the brassica patch. Apparently the White Cabbage Butterfly thinks the patch is already overloaded and so they go off elsewhere.
antesoo
Original Author
21 years ago
Thanks Raymondo, I'll try the cut outs and see if I can trick em. I live remote from town and can't get in for a couple of weeks so the Dipel is out for now.I might try a soap spray and see if that helps too.
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If you have the wrong row cover, just go down to a fabric store and get some wide tulle. It should come as wide as 108" and probably be white but it'll work. Get enough to double it because it's easier to handle that way. You can tape the edges with something like masking tape to keep it from tearing or make your own bias tape and use that if you sew.
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The hoops are 1/2 inch PVC. I buy the 10 foot lengths and cut them down to 9 feet to make sure I have enough room for the 108 inch tulle to hang over the side of the bed. They are insert into 1 inch PVC pipes attached to the inside of the bed with EMT one hole strap. The bed is 3 feet wide. Sorry, I don't know how tall they are and I can't measure the height of them now because I do not have any set up yet. I place a panel on each end of the bed and then a big piece from one side of the bed to the other side. So I just have to undo a couple of clips to raise up the side of the tulle to hand pollinate. I use jumbo binder clips purchased at the office supply store to secure the tulle to the PVC. I also use pieces of 1 x 2 or 1 x 1 wood laying on top of the tulle to hold the side panel down. That makes it easy to get into the bed.
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Yes, it is by all means over the top! However... I think I might use that suggestion for other buyers. If I can perfect controlling the BF, I can either divert its course away from something, or toward something (say, a HP). This way, I can provide whatever service the customer wants with minimum installation. I think I need to either have a major breakthrough on the White Wall, or abandon it: it's constantly needing painting! The Hairstreak Hijacker is working all to well. I knew I shouldn't have put wasps in there! Fortunately, these wasps are my special remote-controlled model, and I can just press the abort button to dispose of them. I hope the C-4 doesn't hurt the BFs when it goes up... Over the top all the way, -Jmcat
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I'm going through this right now myself. Those little worms are crazy hard to spot, they blend in so well. Picked off about 7 yesterday and today - some were so small I was staring at them for minutes before realizing it was a worm and not part of the plant. They are sneaky little buggers. I'm using BT now and hope it helps. First time this year I've had this issue.
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Neilb
21 years ago
Hello Antesoo,
As best as I can work it out, the cut out butterflies are to represent the males who hang about on the ground with their wings outstrecthed to attract a mate. The females intending to lay eggs have already mated and don't want to tango so will often leave the area if they think there is all these lusty males waiting.

As the season cools down the adult butterflies will become far less active so soon not be much of a problem. Dipel is the spores of a soil born bacteria, and though closely related to the anthrax bacteria, considered harmless to us humans and the benificial bugs.

Netting the plants from the adult butterflies can be very sucessful.
Neil
amanda_wa
21 years ago
I've been using the plastic butterfly method for a few years and find it works well enough - mine are made from icecream containers and old wire coat hangers.

Just wish it would work on snails too!

Amanda

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