Mullein moth

This is the great mullein which grows wild 

and produces this remarkably tall spike of yellow flowers.

Photo: first nature

We have a rather smaller, pink, cultivated variety in our garden.  

The botanical name is Verbascum.

  

Each year we lose some foliage and even the flowers to the caterpillars of the mullein moth.

Now in the wild I would let them be, but as we only have the one plant, I'm afraid I 'manage' the caterpillars.  (You will remember that 'manage' in conservation speak usually means 'kill', as in deer management, squirrel management, Japanese knotweed management, etc)

I feel a bit bad about this but it doesn't seem to have affected the local mullein moth population as we get a fresh crop of caterpillars every year.

Photo: Rod Baker, Naturespot

Apparently mullein moth adults can live up to five years ! ! !