With the caterpillars appearing in the garden, soon the leaves and flowers would become the meal for caterpillars. For another two months. the choice is between using insecticide sprays and abandoning leaves and flowers to feed the caterpillar.
This is the dilemma every year during the pre-winter months. The butterflies of different varieties in our garden make the garden colourful during the most part of the year. So they use the garden to complete the life cycle during each season.
What was left of a pink easter Lily that looked elegant yesterday, was its stem this morning. Caterpillars thrive on some of these flowers and leaves.
The Magpie robin, Bulbul, Greater coucal and Mynah birds feed on them. That is how the garden gets protected from an infestation with caterpillars!
This is the inherent ecological regulation which happens in any garden naturally. And Anna and I find seem to choose the path of co-existence.
I know many do not accept my position on this matter!
So we have cultivated hedge plants between our cottage and the gate, with plants which are the favourite feed for caterpillars. From now on till January these plants would remain bare without leaves as caterpillars consume them. That arrangement that Anna planned worked well. We therefore have a caterpillar zone. But they migrate to the main garden like what happened this week!
It is a way of learning to live accepting the changes and challenges!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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