Caterpillar

Caterpillars develop from spring to autumn. In winter, the larvae transform into chrysalises before becoming insects in summer. To achieve this, they need to feed. And the bigger they get, the more they have to eat. Their favorite food? Flower buds, leaf blades, roots and tubers.

The milder the winter, the more larvae there will be: cold temperatures reduce the number of worms and destroy early egg-laying.

The caterpillars penetrate the veins of the plant by perforating them. They then dig galleries to climb back up into the flower head. This operation has the effect of undermining the stem. Finally, they can also devour the roots.

It's hard to catch caterpillars in the act. Their size makes them easy to spot, but they usually come out at night. However, they leave traces of their passage. An eaten leaf looks as if it has been "stripped". You can see cuts on the edges and between the veins. Sometimes, only the veins remain.

As they gnaw through the foliage, some caterpillar species leave gray spots on the leaves. The leaf blades then become wilted and dry. Leaves may curl up to protect themselves. If you look carefully, you'll notice deformations of the foliage, webs or galleries (tunnels in which the larvae settle).

You can combat caterpillar attacks with multiple remedies, including natural ones.

The first option is to spray leaves, stems and flowers with a repellent. You can make your own mixture with white vinegar, black soap and water. You can also combine peppermint essential oil with a neutral vegetable oil. While these solutions will preserve your garden, you'll need to wait a few days or even weeks before seeing the first results.

Organic gardeners can use products based on pyrethrin (a substance extracted from chrysanthemum flowers or Dalmatian pyrethrum) or Bacillus thuringiensis (a bacterium lethal to Lepidoptera caterpillars).

When caterpillars have already invaded gardens and vegetable patches, remove them by hand and place coffee grounds at the foot of plantations to act as a repellent.

When the invasion is too massive, turn to anti-caterpillar products sold in garden centers.

A few preventive measures can help combat the appearance of caterpillars. Crop rotation avoids a concentration of the same plant varieties and limits their arrival.

Finally, natural predators remain an effective option. These auxiliaries regulate the environment. Birds, rodents, spiders and hedgehogs do a remarkable job. To make them feel at home, provide them with suitable shelter (hedges, trees or wooden houses designed for this type of animal).