I have huge swan plants but no sign of caterpillar

garmisch1, Feb 20, 7:43pm
Does anybody around Kapiti have too many caterpillars for their plants!
stevee6, Feb 20, 7:53pm
Only seen a few butterflies around. No plants so no caterpillars this year.
dibble35, Feb 20, 8:20pm
plenty of butterflies in whangarei, although less caterpillars than 2 months ago
kaddiew, Feb 20, 9:42pm
I see monarchs most days here in P'ram, and there have been waiting lists for swan plants at the garden centres, so someone may see your thread.
dibble35, Feb 20, 10:57pm
Yeah I work at a garden centre and every week we get people in as their plants have been stripped and they're desperate for more. Lucky we have a good supplier of plants
russ18, Feb 21, 12:37pm
We've had lots in Lowe Hutt, had around 20 developed into butterflies so far and there are a heap more eggs have just be deposited. At one point the plants were stripped bare.
dlightful, Feb 21, 12:57pm
Heaps in Wanganui too - had to take heaps of eggs off our five plants or they wouldn't have had enough to eat .
cantabman1, Feb 21, 1:19pm
We have had less than 10 caterpillars so far with two hatched B/flys in Christchurch.
dibble35, Feb 21, 1:55pm
I got a text from my sister this morn, my nephew has got some plants growing and going out every day to check on the 3 caterpillars,this morn they had all disappeared, wasps got them maybe as they wernt big enough to turn into chrysilisis yet, i've got some spare caterpillars i can give him but I suggested they cover them with netting.
russ18, Feb 21, 2:01pm
Ours are against a fence, we put netting around the bottom to stop the chickens from taking an interest in them.
helsbelsnz, Feb 21, 7:29pm
Are you still looking for caterpillars, garmisch!We're in Paraparaumu and our plants are bare
garmisch1, Feb 21, 11:42pm
Hey that sounds great. Did I get some from you a couple of years ago!
helsbelsnz, Feb 22, 1:24am
I don't think so, but you'd be welcome to some now!They are chewing their way through the seed pods.Are you available anytime tomorrow!
garmisch1, Feb 22, 5:37pm
I will be up there on Sunday. will send you an email
garmisch1, Feb 22, 5:38pm
I mean text. Do ypu live on the hill side of the reilway tracks!
mottly, Feb 23, 12:02am
the wasps are out in full force - they wipe the caterpillars out within weeks.We had thousands on our swan plants up until two weeks ago - the wasps have eaten the lot :(
brightlights60, Feb 23, 4:09am
We have a huge plant with 2 eggs on it, not doing anything. I suspect the plant (came from a nursery) has been sprayed.
curlcrown, Feb 23, 6:16pm
Wasps are probably killing them.
speedy_11, Feb 23, 6:37pm
praying mantis kill the caterpillars too.
liggy2, Mar 20, 1:09pm
Plenty here in Levin they have demolished my plants.