Plants that get rid of caterpillars!

[CβL]

So I have a Salvia Divinorum (legal in New Zealand), and every summer, the butterflies (white cabbage butterflies, green caterpillars) come... and lay eggs on her, and they destroy her. I've had this problem for 2-3 years now, and I solve it by popping the caterpillars individually. Unfortunately I will not be able to do this this year, so I have literally two days to plant something next to her to get rid of caterpillars. There's 2 approaches:

1) Decoy plants.
These are plants that attract the butterflies even more than the Salvia would, and they get eaten instead.

http://sustainablelivingwise.com/natural-insect-repellent-caterpillars/

2) Scarecrow plants
These would be plants that by smell, or sight - ward of butterflies from landing near them. I'm unsure if these even exist.
I planted 2x Kawakawa plants next to her, for shade reasons, but I'm also hoping that they somehow deter butterflies, somehow. I think I heard catnip can do this.

edit: found this
http://www.planitdiy.com/inspiration/in-lawn-garden/organic-gardening-repel-bugs-naturally-with-garden-herbs/

Sage, and mint both seem to repel cabbage butterflies. I will have to buy some. stat.

halp halp.

Edited September 6, 2013 by CβL

[nothinghead]

Yeah go for the mint and other aromatics - catnip, rosemary, wormwood... If they don't work by just planting them around, make a tea with them and spray it on the salvias.

I'd be wary of "decoy plants" as they could just be a feeding and breeding ground for the pests.

Something I read a while back but have never tried is clover underplanting: "To reduce insect damage in the brassica family underplant with white clover (T. repens) or subterranean clover (Trifolium subterranean). works via masking the distinct scent of brassicas."

I realise they aren't brassicas you're protecting, but it might be worth a try. Could become invasive though, so maybe test it out in a pot first?

[CβL]

I will be moving to Europe for a few months in 2 days time. No time for spraying or anything.

I think I will go for some of those aromatics (not mint, since it's a weed and will take over the salvia).

[simhanada]

caterpillars massacred my mint earlier in the year

edit: mind you, didn't go near my vietnamese mint

Edited September 6, 2013 by simhanada

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

Perhaps a bug net mate over a few stakes? IME it's your best bet

[Anodyne]

It may be a crock, but I have heard that putting eggshells on the ground around plants will keep away cabbage moths. The theory was that the moths would see a big mass of white moth-sized objects already in the area and journey on looking for a less densely-populated place to lay their eggs. NFI if it actually works.

[CβL]

Bug net could work... I don't think I have time to sort it out though. I might try and delegate it.

I'll try the eggshells thing - there's already a ton of eggshells on the compost heap barely 1 metre away.

[nothinghead]

Give a couple of cuttings to a mate as insurance?

[CβL]

They all grow her. But good idea.

[waterboy 2.0]

I heard mentions of wormwood for WCB , but cannot vouch for it. Again it would be based on the scent.

[shortly]

I use white plastic butterfly cut outs on sticks dotted about the garden to deter cabbage whites laying, they see another butterfly already near the food plant so they keep looking for a host that doesn't already have eggs. At least that the theory & It seems to work.

[gtarman]

^^

I think it would..but never tried it. I was re-watching one of my favourite docco series ever, Attenborough's Private Life of Plants, and it was amazing how various plants have evolved to trick and manipulate insects to do their bidding or just leave them alone via mimicry.