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The large, beautiful caterpillar larvae of the elephant hawk moth has two pairs of eye markings, which are made even more prominent when it withdraws its head into its body. They are, typically, a blackish-brown colour but are sometimes green, and though their 'eyes' make them lo...

trees and bushesall year roundMore common garden pestsWoolly aphidsScale insectsPear leaf blister miteLeafhopper

The mullein moth, Cucullia verbasci, lays its eggs on verbascum, buddleia and figwort at the end of spring. Shortly after, from late spring to midsummer, the caterpillars demolish the foliage. Bad infestations can actually strip a plant. They then hide in the soil to pupate.Cater...

are very effective, but compost with the chemical imidacloprid controls the larvae for up to a year. Other formulations provide just short-term protection.many plants, container-grown plants are especially vulnerableall year roundMore common garden pests

infestations, scrape off the scales by hand and dispose of them. For heavy infestations, prune out those branches that are badly affected. Spray with a plant oil wash in winter.euonymusmid-July, early September, winterMore common garden pestsWhiteflyLeaf miner

. Take care not to disturb the beetles before an application, or they'll jump out of harm's way.brassica seedlings, nasturtiums, alyssum, anemone, stocks, cleome, godetiaspring, summerMore common garden pestsLily beetleRosemary leaf beetleCapsid bugsLeatherjackets

or they'll fly off.At the first sign of attack, spray plants with acetamiprid or sunflower oil. Treatment is more effective on larvae than adults.lilies, fritillaries and Solomon's sealspring, summer, autumnMore common garden pestsPollen beetleFlea beetle

.cacti, succulents,greenhouse and house plantssummer, autumn, winterMore common garden pestsAphidsPhormium mealybugThripsWhitefly

.virtually anything from tomatoes to honeysuckleearly spring to autumnDealing with other garden pestsWoolly aphidsWhiteflyPear leaf blister miteLeafhopper

The caterpillars of both the small and large cabbage white butterflies are are the two culprits. The first is pale green with a body up to 2.5cm long, the second is bigger at 4cm and is yellow with black markings. The adult butterflies lay eggs at different times: the small from ...