loads of caterpillars on yellow wildflower-id please!

mrshcurtis · #1 (**permalink**) 30-06-2009, 04:12 PM

i bought a pack of british wildflower seeds and they're quite temperamental but the yellow ones are tall and have clumps of delicate yellow flowers and lots of 'offshoots' that look like bean pods. sorry, i'm new at this, so not describing it too well! but this afternoon my son just noticed a good dozen caterpillars on 2 of the shoots and they all 'jump' at the same time. hopefully someone can let me know what's happening as i have no idea! many thanks in advance.

Dogghound · #2 (**permalink**) 30-06-2009, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrshcurtis

i bought a pack of british wildflower seeds and they're quite temperamental but the yellow ones are tall and have clumps of delicate yellow flowers and lots of 'offshoots' that look like bean pods. sorry, i'm new at this, so not describing it too well! but this afternoon my son just noticed a good dozen caterpillars on 2 of the shoots and they all 'jump' at the same time. hopefully someone can let me know what's happening as i have no idea! many thanks in advance.

This is very typical of sawfly larvae. Although could be anything, a description or better still a photo would be useful here.

mrshcurtis · #3 (**permalink**) 30-06-2009, 05:21 PM

thanks very much, i have googled it and believe they are sawfly. i've seen other posts on here by people suggesting removing them for the birds so into the feeding traythey will go. thanks for the help.

schlocky · #4 (**permalink**) 30-06-2009, 05:50 PM

the plant sounds like hedge mustard (Sisymbrium officinale) although I would be surprised to find this in a commercial seed mix as it isnt especially pretty.

Tiggrx · #5 (**permalink**) 01-07-2009, 06:37 PM

At a guess your yellow flowers could be Woad

mrshcurtis · #6 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 08:24 PM

ok, the 'caterpillars' are still there but now are larger and hairier, like proper caterpillars now. so i guess they are caterpillars? there was also 'skin' on the leaves- do they shed perhaps? sorry, i really know nothing about caterpillars but i have been googling. thanks for the help.

Naturenutz · #7 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 08:32 PM

Hi,can you google yellow wild flowers and try identify the food plant

Lance Morgan · #8 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 08:32 PM

Sounds like one of the tiger family. Yes caterpillars do shed their skin. without a picture it will be difficult to tell maybe an ermine? Foodplant is not a good pointer as tiger are feed on alot of low growing plants 'weeds'.

mrshcurtis · #9 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 08:48 PM

yes, i have been googling british yellow wildflowers but have yet to find it. it was a mixture of seeds and there's some brooklime in there. have tried photographing but i can't get a close enough photo without it being blurry. will keep googling and let you know if i find it!

mrshcurtis · #10 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 09:29 PM

ok, i've taken some photos, hope it helps. keep in mind there used to be yellow flowers on the stems before the caterpillars got there! if i can only see how to upload my photos now....