Grasshoppers and snails can be a serious problem for any vegetable seedbed as they chew the tender stems of seedlings. Caterpillars can also cause damage, but more so on tomato and cabbage than on chilli.To protect their young crops many farmers use pesticides. While pesticides are expensive, they are also dangerous for the health of farmers, consumers and the environment. You can protect your seedlings by putting an insect net over them.