Not A Patterned Plate...

...but have no sympathy for these sawfly caterpillars, which were collected from the dwarf pine this afternoon.

Much like those on the gooseberry bush, which can reduce the bush to a skeleton almost overnight, those on pine reduce the stem to sticks with needles eaten down to stumps.

Not only is this unsightly, it damages the health of the plant, so a dose of soapy water to wash them off, followed by a short blast in the microwave, ensures that these will munch no more.