A very hungry caterpillar
Happily the basil seems well able to support a couple of hairy tenants
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September 9, 2010
The very hungry caterpillar
Posted by frugilegus under pestiferious beasties, Things that grow | Tags: basil, caterpillar |[7] Comments
September 10, 2010 at 06:48
That is a very pretty ‘vapourer’ caterpillar although the moth it develops into is non-descript in comparison. That particular one loves my hammamelis. Last year I had one or two of them on it, stripping the leaves, which I removed. THis year 50 of them trashed it!!!!
September 11, 2010 at 20:47
Thanks for the ID. I suspected it might be a Vapourer, though I was too scared to subtitle the image to say as much because the central white patterning seemed different from the pictures I found and although hairy it didn’t have any of those magnificent great tufts.
I imagine 50 could do quite some damage: luckily I was only treated to one; otherwise my tolerance may have been lower!
September 10, 2010 at 13:32
That’s the one! That is the same type of caterpillar that crawled up my shirt the other day and was inadvertently squished. Big mistake, squashing it caused it’s little hairs to leave quite the rash. Nice looking basil, mine is on it’s last legs as cold weather sets in.
September 11, 2010 at 20:51
Striking fella isn’t he! Even more so I guess once he’s got his hairs into you…
I’m sure my basil is only flourishing because my cooking whims are not demanding it at the moment. As soon as I fancy pesto or something it will keel over… or maybe I’m contrary and only want to cook what I don’t have?
September 11, 2010 at 14:34
By the way, I finally found and ordered a good used copy of “In the Beginning Was the Worm: Finding the Secrets of Life in a Tiny Hermaphrodite” that you recommended eons ago…I am looking forward to reading it.:)
September 11, 2010 at 20:52
Oh, I feel the pressure now! I hope you enjoy it, but forgive me if not.
October 10, 2010 at 08:40
I missed this when it was posted. Lovely photo of a lovely creature.
I’ve given up on the ordinary basil. Snails like it too much. And I like it too much not to mind when it vanishes. This year, I’ve grown an odd variety called ‘Minette’. It doesn’t look like basil at all. It has tiny leaves and looks more like thyme. It’s survived though.
During the summer, a local shop was selling pots of purple leaved basil. Have you come across this? When I went back to get some, it had all gone – but I might try that next year. Not sure how I’ll feel about eating it!
Esther