'Droppings' round my basil plant! Please help!!

[Jadezoe333]

I bought a basil plant four weeks ago and after a week of having it I started to notice tiny clumps of what looks like soil on the table around the pot. They are between the size of a pin head and a small pill. I clean them up but I have noticed more and more of them appearing. I would think it was a mouse but 1. I have a cat and 2. the 'droppings' are also on the higher leaves of the plant. If I had mice surely I would find these around the rest of the house too and not just around my plant in the middle of my kitchen table?

I am so confused! Can anyone help?

Sounds like a small caterpillar - inspect all the leaves carefully (especially for any "webbing").

yeah i would agree with nanthewiser, sounds like a caterpillar. If that's the case give this spray around the plant and that will stop any insects etc comming near it.

Not if you intend to eat the Basil, sonias27, safest way is to spray with dilute washing up liquid.

Cover the soil with a paper towel/sellotape, carry it outside and turn it upside down and give it a good shake.
Then, still upside down, immerse the plant in a bucket of water to which you added a few drops of washing liquid.
Dip it up and down and swish it around.
Take out and stand it somewhere warming to dry.
That's what I did and several small caterpillars departed for caterpillar heaven 😀

It is a caterpillar! Thank you all for your advice. I found him under a leaf and he's a pretty big fella! Now to decide if I want a caterpillar housemate or to put him outside...