Butterflywatch: large white caterpillars thrive on perennial kale

In one of the worst summers for butterflies I've fed a burgeoning population of the dreaded 'cabbage white'I returned home from a week's holiday to find my lush patch of perennial kale turned into pale skeletons. Everywhere I looked, large white caterpillars were marching, searching for more leaves. They even devoured my wild rocket.This is the dreaded "cabbage white" loathed by many gardeners. The caterpillars of the similar-looking small white feed on brassicas too but tend to live singly, and appear to do less damage. And the green-veined white, frequently misnamed as a cabbage white, does not feed on brassicas at all. Continue reading...