Cabbage White Caterpillars
Scientific group or name: Pieris species
Overview
Cabbage white butterflies lay eggs on brassicas, and the caterpillars consume foliage rapidly.
Host plants
Cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and other brassicas.
Identification
Large white caterpillars are yellow-black and often feed in groups. Small white caterpillars are green and more solitary.
Damage and symptoms
Leaves are holed or skeletonised, and frass contaminates heads and harvested produce.
Lifecycle and favourable conditions
Outdoor crops are exposed while adult butterflies are active, particularly in warmer months.
Monitoring
Inspect leaf undersides for eggs and small larvae before obvious defoliation develops.
Management
Use fine insect mesh, hand-remove eggs and larvae in small plantings and control brassica weeds near production areas.
Biological control and natural enemies
Bacillus thuringiensis products and naturally occurring parasitoids can suppress young caterpillars where permitted and correctly applied.
Biological control should be selected only after the pest has been identified and the crop, temperature, growing environment and pest pressure have been considered.
Related BioWiki pages
This page provides general integrated pest-management information. Identification and control decisions should be confirmed for the crop and local situation.