[jimmytheshed]

well lovely day here in kent even caught the sun on my face, got lots done couldnt have been better. then i saw the dreaded cabage white flying around my purple sprouting  .

anyone know when they start laying their eggs?

[8doubles]

As soon as your back is turned. 

Obviously a pathfinder for the main squadron.

[Elcie]

Oh no not already!  I remember when I first got my allotment a couple of years ago.  I was so pleased to be amongst nature when the butterflies were flying around.  That was until I read on here when I got home what they were going to do to my PSB!

I went out and bought some blue water pipe today and have 3 hoops on 3 x beds in preparation for my brassicas.  Last year I spent ages going around picking the caterpillars off. This year I am away for 3 1/2 weeks in the summer and just can't see the OH doing that so thought I better sort some netting out!

[Y.E.A.H]

i actually think they have more right to peoples cabbages than us. i mean they were on this planet first weren't they ? and not forgetting all butterflies are getting rarer  

make sure when you kill the cabbage white butterflies (not that i approve of it) it isn't a female orange tip http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB/gallery/images/upload/89e34a6aa0ef52325f33b9f7ea3dc200.jpg
they are of no harm to the garden/allotment what so ever but sadly they get mistaken for cabbage whites and are killed  

you know if its a female orange tip if its wings are rounded at the top (cabbage white butterflies have pointed tips)

[unconcerned]

netting, nabbing and nasturtiums - 3 prong attack seems the only way to save them

[solway cropper]

At the risk of upsetting blackcap I used to regularly kill thousands of cabbage white caterpillars each year till I got wise to the netting idea. They have no right to my brassicas. Rights are something agreed between consenting parties and I haven't agreed anything with the butterflies. Imagine the situation reversed. Would butterflies share their food with us. Not likely.

[sunshineband]

Last year I handpicked caterpillars because I used netting with holes that looked smaller than a butterfly...but weren't 

This year -- debris netting over a frame 

[fletch]

Year before last I netted all my brassicas and had hardly any problems at all (apart from it's a bit of a pain removing it to weed etc).
For whatever reason last year I didn't get round to it and all my cabbages were as good as decimated. Once the eggs are laid I found it nigh on impossible to keep on top of the caterpillars and neting them at that stage is pointless.

I'll be netting them as soon as they're planted out this year  .

[Y.E.A.H]

At the risk of upsetting blackcap I used to regularly kill thousands of cabbage white caterpillars each year till I got wise to the netting idea.

netting!! that's more like it 

[jimmytheshed]

I  have a netted tunnel, but moved it for this years brassicas leaving the psb and kale behind it, didnt think they would be about so early

[Lulu]

definitely netting - the earlier the better.  Year before last I lost all my PSB and my sprouts, last year I netted with good results.  Had sprouts until March.  This year I'm netting and giving the butterfly's some nasturtiums as  they need something to lay on and eat.  My plan is to put the flowers in pots so I can move them well away from all things brassica.

[monsta]

last year there was so many caterpillars on my broc, sprouts, cabbages and swedes! you could hear them munching! like a rustling noise  :blink: or the sound of evil 

[whistler]

Whoa, what's this about nasturtiions and cabbage whites, do they prefer them to our brasssicas?

[mumofstig]

allegedly  I think all it does is attract more 

[whistler]

Thanks Mumofstig, I'll try growing them the other side of the plot, as far as possible away from the sprouts etc.!!  I'll even bung some seeds in the hedge.  Should look pretty if nothing else!