Westville Conservancy Transforming the Ugly and Neglected November 2020 Newsletter In This Edition: Stop The Invasion – Plant This Instead Common Caterpillars of the Highway Area Plant Sale Feedback M13 STOP THE INVASION! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE by taking out and removing IAPs from your garden and verge and replacing with some of our beautiful locally indigenous plants. Barbados Gooseberry, Pereskia aculeate Pereskia comes from the West Indies, and South and Central America and is classed as a category 1b invasive species having escaped from gardens where it was introduced as an ornamental barrier plant. This creeper has shiny green succulent leaves that turn yellowish, superficially resembling bougainvillea and produces clusters of lemon scented white to cream flowers and edible yellow berries about the size of grapes which are armed with spines. It clambers up into trees forming dense canopies that block out light and smother indigenous species and can even cause trees to collapse under the sheer weight of plant matter. The most distinguishing features are the spines. The younger shoots have pairs of hooked thorns along the stems and the older, thick woody stems have clusters of hard, vicious, straight spines, 30-40mm long, Any piece of the plant that falls to the ground has the ability to take root and produce a new plant and this feature, plus the extremely vicious spines and the density of growth make it one of the most difficult IAP’s to remove and control. To eradicate this creeper: cut off the thick wooded stems at the base and paint immediately with a suitable herbicide. Leave the plant to hang in the tree to die back but watch for stems falling to the ground which should ideally be gathered up and taken to a safe place to burn. New growth and leaves that are reachable can be sprayed with a suitable herbicide. This creeper requires constant follow up as any piece of the plant that falls to the ground – even sections that look dried up and dead, have the potential to regrow. For advice on eradicating Invasive Alien Plants and information on specific herbicides, please contact: Clive 072 8385834 or Rob 083 7770872 PLANT THIS INDIGENOUS ALTERNATIVE INSTEAD…. Cat thorn, Scutia myrtina This is a hardy, fast growing drought resistant, scambling shrub, which uses thorns to clamber through surrounding vegetation but it can be pruned to make an attractive, impenetrable barrier hedge. The leaves are glossy green and the new growth is a bronze colour. It has small, fragrant white flowers from October to January which attract insects, followed by edible pea-sized fruits that are enjoyed by birds. This plant also feeds the caterpillars of 16 species of moth and 4 species of butterfly. Choose from these other indigenous alternatives: Coast climbing thorn - Acacia kraussiana, Kei-apple – Dovyalis caffra For advice of Indigenous Alternatives contact: Jenni 082 4874939 Last month we produced an article on the Amaryllis caterpillar, but thanks to a few of our dedicated readers, it has been highlighted to us that some of the information we included was incorrect. We are always willing to learn and we are so grateful that we have some very passionate and knowledgeable members amongst us. One such member is Suncana Bradley and she has written an article for us on some of the common caterpillars found in our area. Common Caterpillars of the Highway Area by Suncana Bradley When faced with caterpillars in their garden, many will wonder whether to leave or not to leave. If you’re a nature lover that appreciates biodiversity, the answer is leave. Caterpillars may cause some damage to the plants, but it is almost never permanent and the plants will actually thrive after being trimmed by mother nature’s own little gardeners. Here are some of the caterpillars commonly seen around the Highway area. Lily borer, Brithys crini Our most infamous and misunderstood moth larva is definitely the dreaded Lily Borer, or Amaryllis caterpillar (Brithys crini). A common misconception is that they are an alien invasive species. However, that is not true. They are a cosmopolitan species that is widely distributed and is native to Southern Africa, amongst other regions. Basically, they are found wherever Amaryllidaceae grow (our representatives being Crinums, Clivias etc). Another common myth is that they don’t have any natural predators, which they very much do. Flies, wasps and Darkling beetles all prey on caterpillars, and the Lily Borer is no exception. Brithys crini after being fed on by parasitic larva The Borer larvae can be destructive, but you will find that infestations which result in a lot of damage are usually in gardens abundant with their food plants. In nature you would not encounter the plants at such density, which means there would be less moths attracted to them and in the end less larvae. Planting more variety and matching your garden to the wilderness as much as possible will eventually lead to normal numbers of caterpillars. If you must, best control is to manually remove the caterpillars off your plants and dispose of them away from your garden. Rhenea michii Another very common caterpillar that often causes panic is Rhenea michii. They appear in such large numbers that they seemingly “rain” off trees. They are rather voracious larvae and will regularly defoliate whole trees. However, give it a couple of weeks and the trees will bounce back more lush and healthier than they were before. It’s important to note that this is a natural process and it encourages healthy growth of foliage. The caterpillars don’t cause any kind of permanent damage to trees and their frass is a great natural fertilizer. Once they start coming off the trees and moving about, they are ready to pupate and will soon turn into lovely colorful pupas. The moths are beautiful and delicate; certainly well worth a bunch of leaves. Their prefered trees are Ekebergia capensis and Harpephyllum caffrum. Wahlberg's Emperor (Nudaurelia wahlbergii) This rather intimidating looking caterpillar belongs to a large moth that we frequently see swarming around our outside lights this time of the year. They are, however, completely harmless and those spikes aren’t spikey at all. You won’t often see them on trees, but you will encounter them on the ground either looking for a spot to pupate or dying due to being hosts to parasites. They feed on a variety of plants, including Mangifera indica, Prunus persica, Psidium guajava, Ricinus communis, Schinus molle, Trema bracteolata, Trema orientalis, Acacia mearnsii, Ekebergia capensis, Halleria lucida and Maerua. Edible Monkey Moth (Striphnopteryx edulis) Edible Monkey Moth caterpillars are large and hairy, and though they are harmless, they can make you itch. They don’t sting, but they will leave behind small hairs lodged in your skin if not handled gently. The hairs can cause skin irritation. If it does happen, rub the affected area with a wash cloth until there are no more hairs left and generously apply a soothing cream. They are not at all picky when it comes to food plants and will eat almost anything, but we most often find them on our Osteospermum moniliferum bushes. Common Striped Hawkmoth (Hippotion eson) Hawkmoths (Sphingidae) are easily identifiable by a small horn at their rear end that resembles a tail. They are often large in size, vary in color depending on the species and some even sport false eyes that make them look like small, fat snakes. They are, of course, harmless. One of the most commonly encountered species in the area is the Common Striped Hawkmoth. Hippotion eson larvae are polyphagous, which means that they feed on a large variety of plants, some of which are Impatiens balsamina, Vigna, Amorphophallus, Ampelopsis, Anchomanes difformis, Arum, Bougainvillea, Caladium, Cissus, Colocasia, Coprosma baueri, Fuchsia, Ipomoea cairica, Ipomoea involucrata, Paullinia pinnata, Pentas, Richardia, Vitis hederacea, Vitis vinifera, and Zantedeschia aethiopica There are of course many, many more species and I will happily identify them for you if you email me photos on [email protected]. The very last thing I would like to point out is that the worst thing that you can do to your garden is apply any kind of a pesticide, even one of the so-called "organic" ones. There is simply no such thing as good poison, no matter what story the manufacturers are spinning. Pesticide may be a necessary evil if you’re a farmer and your livelihood depends on your crop, but on a small scale like an urban garden, there is simply no excuse. Pesticide is not selective. It will kill not only caterpillars, but all other insects as well, including the ones that prey on caterpillars. What that will cause is a knock-on effect of losing the natural balance in your garden. With less predators, your caterpillars will be too many, and will thus defoliate more than is usual. If nature is left to its own devices, you will have your wasp, flies, spiders, beetles etc keeping your larvae numbers in check. There may be certain products that guarantee they will get rid of only lepidoptera larvae, but that means every single one of them, including the butterfly larvae. Listen to Sir David Attenborough; poison is not the answer - rewilding your garden is. Let nature be and you will be surprised how quickly it bounces back to being more than just a green desert. Who knows, you may even start seeing chameleons again... *************************************** Plant Sale Feedback Many thanks to everyone (our regular customers and new faces) who supported our plant sale on 23rd and 24th October. We had a fantastic turnout and we hope you enjoyed your planting over the weekend! If you need any assistance or advice, please email us: [email protected] Next Sale: December Our sincere thanks go to Leisel Muhl from RM Promo who supplied our banners, bumper stickers and vests printed with our Conservancy logo and she assisted with promoting our sale on social media.