Container growing with bagged soils almost always creates a micronutrient deficiency of some sort. Be sure to include a high calcium amendment in the soil mix and a rock dust product such as Azomite to provide those nutrients. Sometimes it's an issue with uptaking those nutrients and epsom salt can sometimes help with this as well as regular watering, don't let containers dry out or it's over....

I just came across one crawling along a big leaf of swiss chard (no evidence of munching). I just relocated him to the back of the garden and let him be. I've rarely run across more than one or 2 per season (the sandy coloured one and/or the black with brown band in the middle guy), so I don't see their numbers as too threatening. I googled what they'd look like as adults and have never seen the adult virginian moth, maybe once came across a tiger moth. As for those numerous white cabbage butterflies flitting about all over the place, whenever I find a green slender caterpillar (and I suspect that is their larvae form) I 'rub' them out. As often as I do that, it doesn't seem to affect their population the following year!

Davidi is right, they are called Hawk Moths. I always wear gloves when prunning impatiens because they spray a green liquid that causes itching and rashes. They only eat impatiens, and can destroy an established impatien overnight ! They are currently mauling my seashell yellow impatiens. Being an animal lover, I can not spray the buggars!!!! So I just throw them over the fence into a walkway. ALthough they probably do die from starvation (not being near my impatiens anymore) birds probably eat them. The moth is an ugly looking thing too. It's just brown and ugly. I grow impatiens really close to each other so they form a hedge agaist a wall that is always shaded. There are many in that one. But the real damage is to my seashell ones,where it is just the 2 plants growing, it's really noticable because they arn't clumped together.

Hi Chris have a look at the link below you should find this caterpillar there We get so many different ones in our garden that I usually go out in the early morn and take them off by hand. If it gets too bad I spray with Dipel I don't use any chemical based ones. I have too many little frogs, ladybirds and good insects trying to eat the bad ones and don't want to upset them. Best of luck Mary-Anne Here is a link that might be useful: Australian Caterpillars