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What is it?
There are many plants in the cabbage family, they include broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, chinese cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi and of course the common cabbage. Cabbage worms attack all members of the cabbage family, as well as lettuce.
What does it look like?
Cabbageworms come in two varieties. They are either trichoplusia ni, cabbage loopers or they are imported cabbage worms, pieris rapae. Typically, infestations of either sort of cabbageworm will present itseld in the form of irregular roundish holes in the leaves. After noticing the holes, you may also see green worms which can grow in size up to 1.5 inches long and usually the cabbageworms have lighter green or white stripes down the center of their backs. You may also note large clump of green or brown pellets among and on the leaves, where the cabbageworms have left excrement in the wake of their feeding on the leaves and heads of the plants. If cabbageworms have infested wither cauliflower or cabbage heads, you may also note the presence of tunnels in the plants.
How does it manifest?
Adult female cabbageworms lay eggs throughout the growing season, which then emerge as worms and begin feeding. Mature cabbage loopers are brownish moths and lay pale green eggs. Mature imported cabbageworms are white butterflies that lay yellow, bullet shaped eggs. Because of their life cycles, cabbageworms may be present from early spring until late fall and may even be present year round in the southern United States.
What can you do about it?
Cabbageworms can be controlled with a variety of insecticides. As soon as you note damage, you should treat the affected plants with an insecticide containing diazinon, carbaryl, pyrethrins, rotenone and even insecticidal soap. While worms are still small, they can also be killed off with a biological control, bacillus thuringiensis. For as long as you can still find worms, you should repeat the chosen treatment in weekly intervals, however you need to stop applying insecticide 3 days prior to harvest. Also, post-harvest you need to remove any leftover or excess plant debris so that hidden pupae may be destroyted.
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