the very hungry "caterpillars"

This year we wanted to plant a garden, but if you have seen our yard we are lacking a lot of space. So just to start we planted just a few things. We started out great and things were looking very promising. Then Emma decided to replant our cantaloupe in a completely different place in the yard. And as soon as the broccoli budded she thought she would pick it. We have since talked to her about when you pick or even when you touch something it will DIE...and now so far so good. Until the other day we were invaded by the "very hungry caterpillar" or should I say caterpillarS...actually I am not sure if they were caterpillars or just worms (I do not like bugs of any kind and so I didn't get too close to investigate). They ate one whole broccoli plant and half a a few others. NOT happy about it at all. Our family really LOVES broccoli and we were really looking forward to eating it. We will just have to see what happens with it.