Insect netting looks simple, which is why so much of it is so bad. The mesh must be fine enough to stop a cabbage moth, yet strong enough to survive being pulled over frames and clipped to hoops. The difference between a net that lasts five seasons and one that holes in a month comes down to three things: yarn, GSM and the edges.
Fine mesh means thin strands, and thin strands tear if the yarn is weak or the net is too light. Many budget nets use recycled filler or a low GSM to keep the price down — the result is a net that snags on a twig and splits. A good insect net is knitted from 100% virgin HDPE with UV stabilization, so the fine mesh is strong enough to survive handling and sun season after season.
The most common failure point isn’t the middle of the net — it’s the edges. A raw-cut edge has nothing to stop the knit from unravelling, and the first snag starts a run. A net with sealed or reinforced edges (a knitted-in or folded-and-stitched selvedge) stays intact. Always check the edge finish before you buy; it is the single best predictor of how long a fine mesh will last.
For insect and butterfly netting, a useful range is roughly 50–110 gsm. Below 50 gsm the mesh is tissue-thin and tears under its own tension; above 110 gsm the holes start to matter less than the shading. The right GSM holds the mesh open and even, so pests can’t push through and the net doesn’t sag into the crop.
Knitted raschel mesh is a continuous looped structure — poke a hole and it stays a small hole instead of running into a long tear. Woven mesh, by contrast, frays from any snag. If your net drags over hoops, clips and plants, knitted HDPE is the choice that won’t come apart at the first contact.
Fine insect netting keeps pests out — and pollinators too. That’s exactly what you want over brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale) that cabbage white butterflies target. But for flowering crops that need bees to set fruit — squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, berries — lift or remove the net during flowering. Timing the cover is as important as choosing it.
No fine mesh is squirrel-proof or rat-proof — teeth beat thin yarn every time. If rodents are your real problem, pair the insect net with a heavier bird net or cage, and keep the fine mesh for the insects it was made to stop. Layering solves both problems better than one net trying to do everything.
Almost always raw-cut edges or yarn that is too light and not UV-stabilized. Choose virgin HDPE with sealed edges and the holes stop appearing.
A fine mesh of around 0.6–1.0 mm (roughly 20–40 mesh) excludes cabbage white butterflies and most aphids while still letting light and water through.
Yes, for flowering crops. Lift it during bloom so bees can reach the flowers, then replace it to protect the developing fruit.
Fine mesh, sealed edges, virgin UV-stabilized yarn — and know when to lift the cover for pollinators. Tell us your crop and pest and we’ll match the right mesh and GSM.