Caterpillars killed my bush. What now?
Discussion
ds last year. Thanks for the advice above, will give that a try. BUY THIS!!
You can still have box hedging, you just need to control the pests. This is the ONLY thing that works.
https://www.provendernurseries.co.uk/xentari
You can still have box hedging, you just need to control the pests. This is the ONLY thing that works.
https://www.provendernurseries.co.uk/xentari
rossyl said:
BUY THIS!!
You can still have box hedging, you just need to control the pests. This is the ONLY thing that works.
https://www.provendernurseries.co.uk/xentari
This is what I used. You can still have box hedging, you just need to control the pests. This is the ONLY thing that works.
https://www.provendernurseries.co.uk/xentari
RichB said:
I wonder when the best time to apply the first spray is? I would think 3 -4 weeks time but interested in other's thoughts.
I’ve read that March to October is the season. Caterpillars can survive over winter and apparently start eating when temperature is 15°C. On that basis it’s probably a week or two early in the south, but getting very close.Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
RichB said:
I wonder when the best time to apply the first spray is? I would think 3 -4 weeks time but interested in other's thoughts.
I’ve read that March to October is the season. Caterpillars can survive over winter and apparently start eating when temperature is 15°C. On that basis it’s probably a week or two early in the south, but getting very close.
Well this morning I had 5 healthy buxus balls. This evening they’re all on the way to being eaten and I can see the wriggly bstards inside the bush.
Xentari doesn’t seem to be available and the link above goes to a dead link. I’ll try picking the buggers off tomorrow but in the meantime anyone know where I can get any of the magic potion?
Xentari doesn’t seem to be available and the link above goes to a dead link. I’ll try picking the buggers off tomorrow but in the meantime anyone know where I can get any of the magic potion?
Crikey, I bought some from Amazon only a couple of weeks ago. Has it been puled off sale? 
Seems Amazon are not selling Topbuxus Xentari but there are other suppliers fortunately.
https://www.onbuy.com/gb/topbuxus-xentari-box-tree...
Seems Amazon are not selling Topbuxus Xentari but there are other suppliers fortunately.
https://www.onbuy.com/gb/topbuxus-xentari-box-tree...
Edited by RichB on Friday 6th May 22:29
doogle83 said:
Mine is coming back as well! 
I gave up on our 2 and cut them out last weekend. Went to put the green waste bin out the day after and it was COVERED in caterpillars trying to escape!. 
I couldn't see any of them looking at the hedge the day before, glad i don't have to battle them again this year now tbh.
I wish I'd found this thread a bit earlier.
They've had my Box hedge. All of it. 24 foot long and over 7 foot high. Turned into a pile of caterpillar poop on the path beneath it. They're like the bloody SAS too. Dropping off the bush on silken threads, lowering themselves to the ground then making off "on foot", like troopers rappelling from a helicopter. This is presumably because they've eaten themselves out of house and home? I swept a load (probably 30 0r 40) of them up in a dustpan and put them in the green waste bin, but they were in the process of escaping a few hours later when I swept up a load more. Tomorrow I shall begin putting them in the brazier on some old newspapers soaked in aerosol brake cleaner. This will, I believe, do nothing to save my Box hedge, but should be rather satisfying. Then I intend to order some of that XenTari to treat the little bar stewards that I cannot see. I took pictures of them, which I may upload if I can be bothered. The bush/hedge appears to be beyond redemption initially, but on close inspection there are a few green leaves that the little sods have missed, so with some care and patience it may recover. Grrrr!
They've had my Box hedge. All of it. 24 foot long and over 7 foot high. Turned into a pile of caterpillar poop on the path beneath it. They're like the bloody SAS too. Dropping off the bush on silken threads, lowering themselves to the ground then making off "on foot", like troopers rappelling from a helicopter. This is presumably because they've eaten themselves out of house and home? I swept a load (probably 30 0r 40) of them up in a dustpan and put them in the green waste bin, but they were in the process of escaping a few hours later when I swept up a load more. Tomorrow I shall begin putting them in the brazier on some old newspapers soaked in aerosol brake cleaner. This will, I believe, do nothing to save my Box hedge, but should be rather satisfying. Then I intend to order some of that XenTari to treat the little bar stewards that I cannot see. I took pictures of them, which I may upload if I can be bothered. The bush/hedge appears to be beyond redemption initially, but on close inspection there are a few green leaves that the little sods have missed, so with some care and patience it may recover. Grrrr!
Sorry to hear so many are going through the same thing - as OP I guess I should do a quick update.
The main bush didn’t make it. What little green there was disappeared and we pulled it out and burned it last weekend.
The second bush is ailing but coming back - I doused it in the magic potion last weekend having spotted both caterpillars and the return of silk so let’s see how that goes.
This is the box that we had to remove:
The main bush didn’t make it. What little green there was disappeared and we pulled it out and burned it last weekend.
The second bush is ailing but coming back - I doused it in the magic potion last weekend having spotted both caterpillars and the return of silk so let’s see how that goes.
This is the box that we had to remove:
I’ve just noticed that my box ball, about 4 or 5 feet in diameter and 3 feet tall, has caterpillars on it. Fortunately there’s little to no damage yet.
What alerted me is very encouraging: I noticed a continual stream of sparrows coming and going. They fly in and hunt around going quite deep into the foliage, then fly off with something green dangling from their beaks. Clearly they’re eating the caterpillars or feeding them to their chicks, which is great news.
I reckon I’m seeing them catch at least five to ten per minute!
I’ll give the sparrows the rest of the day to have their fill, then spray this evening with XenTari.
What alerted me is very encouraging: I noticed a continual stream of sparrows coming and going. They fly in and hunt around going quite deep into the foliage, then fly off with something green dangling from their beaks. Clearly they’re eating the caterpillars or feeding them to their chicks, which is great news.
I reckon I’m seeing them catch at least five to ten per minute!
I’ll give the sparrows the rest of the day to have their fill, then spray this evening with XenTari.
Just spotted the first ones so nuked them with the same systemic stuff I put on the other plants that have been getting munched. Worked last year to stop them and everything grew back fine even after being thoroughly chomped. Seems to be working at the moment as they're already looking a lot less lively.
Birds don't seem to touch them so there's obviously plenty of easier/tastier pickings elsewhere.
Birds don't seem to touch them so there's obviously plenty of easier/tastier pickings elsewhere.
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