This arrangement of legs causes the caterpillar to crawl with a "looping" motion, similar to that of inchworms. Some specimens are marked with light stripes along the body. Adult cabbage looper moths are mottled grayish-brown with a 1 1/2 in (3.5cm)wingspan. Each forewing is marked near its center with a pair of characteristic silver markings: a spot and a mark resembling a "V" or and "8" with an open end. Gardener to Gardener Almanac & Pest-Control Primer: A Month-By-Month Guide and Journal for Planning, Planting, and Tending Your Organic Garden is an additional resource.
Susceptible Plants - Brassicas, (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli), as well as many other vegetable crops can all be affected by cabbage looper. Life Cycle- Winter is spent in the pupal stage inside of a cocoon attached by one side to the host plant material. Adults emerge in the spring, mate and fly to a suitable host plant. Cabbage looper eggs are smooth, light green and slightly flat. Within about 3 days, small caterpillars hatch from the eggs. During a period of about 4 weeks caterpillars feed and develop through several stages (instars) before spinning a silk cocoon in which they form a greenish to brownish 3/4 in (2cm) inch long pupa. Adult cabbage looper emerge in about 13 days unless they overwinter. Development from egg to adult can be completed in about 35 days. Four generations or more can be produced each year
Prevention and Control- Caterpillar cabbage looper larvae chew large holes in leaves and may destroy whole plants. Hand pick larvae several times weekly and then drop into soapy water. Till crop residues into the soil before adults emerge in spring. Attract native parasitic wasps by planting pollen and nectar rich flowers. Bonide Thuricide Bt
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