Cabbage lopper

Catalogue Type

Plant Pests Catalogue

Scientific Name

Trichoplusia spp

Family

Noctuidae

Distinguishing Characters

The cabbage looper is a very destructive and difficult to control pest of cabbage and other cole crops.
It is the larva of a medium-sized grayish brown moth.
The moths have a figure-eight shaped silver spot near the middle of each of the front wings.

Host Crop

Cabbage ,bok choy, broccoli

Order

Lepidoptera

Photo of Insect

Photo of Damaged Crop

Description

Newly hatched larvae usually eat out small areas on the undersides of leaves.

As they grow, they move to the center of the plant, eating through the leaves between the veins.

Large larvae are heavy feeders and may cause serious damage to marketable heads especially when numerous.

Damage however, may at times be restricted to wrapper leaves.