Cabbage white butterflies

This is only my second post, my first was about my 3ft high raddishs which was well discussed, thank you.
New to vegatable gardening this year I expected the proverbial cock ups.
I am proud of my broad beans which are growing and being eaten for england, my runner beans are doing wonderfull so I am relativley happy.
However in the last few days my sprout leaves are being eaten at a rapid pace, the culprit is easy to recognise as the vegatable patch is full of cabbage white butterflies and their eggs and catapillars.
What`s my solution, seems mean killing butterflies which are becoming a rarity. I presume it`s some kind of spray
Thanks for your help.
Rodz

 

HI Rodz
i promise to stay on topic
hand picking them off and putting them on nastursium (SP) to munch on will avoid killing them but in future place some netting over them and then they cant lay on them for starters

you will get alot of great advice but on occasions we can be distracted so i for one will hang my head in shame and try not to do it on your threads in future

 

Live and learn nets it is next time.
Thanks
Rodz

 

you could cover the best ones now to limit the damage done but make sure that got got all the caterpillars off first

 

Damage limitation
Rodz

 

If you have any old net curtains Rodz they'll do the trick

 

Hello there, first post here, found you via Google. There is a forum for all interests, it seems!

I also noticed the other day that my Curly Kale was infested with Cabbage while butterflies (you could watch them mating), with small red eggs. Now I have developed the inevitable caterpillars.

Is the only way to go through the patch and remove all the caterpillars?

Will they move onto spinach, lettuce and runner beans?

Many thanks!

 

I put Saffolders Debris netting over mine. Much cheaper than Horticultural Netting and the shade it casts doesn't seem to make any difference.

Pictures on my blog of a 9-year old installing it
http://kgarden.wordpress.com/2009/05/04/brassica-netting-against-cabbage-white-butterfly/

 

Thanks for that K! Very usefully and easy to understand! It also looks fairly quick and easy to put up!

 

Well, I am not to dissapointed being it was my first foray into growing vegatables.
The way forward for me is netting. For now it`s going through everyday and picking them off.
Thanks
Rodz

 

Rub the eggs off the undersides of the leaves too - that prevents them becoming caterpillars and starting munching, of course

 

And one step further on allowing greater/easier access when plants are set in rows is to build a simple, more permanant frame.

http://steverandles.co.uk/alottment/?p=707#respond

I used the method described by Kristen in previous years but it is dificult to get in and weed if you have two or more next to each other. So this year I built these frames which are now very easy to access and/or move about.

Steve...

 

oh i wish people would stop giving me really good ideas