You’re most likely rising cabbage since you get pleasure from consuming it. And for those who’ve ever tried rising this crop earlier than, you most likely notice that a number of backyard pests additionally get pleasure from consuming cabbage. This text explores potential culprits and methods to do away with them.

Cabbage is a member of the mustard household, sometimes called the Brassica household, or crucifers. Different acquainted brassicas embrace broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, turnips, mustards, and horseradish. These are primarily cool-weather backyard greens that love full solar and moist, wealthy soil with glorious drainage. 

Aphids

Aphids are ubiquitous backyard pests. You’ll see them gathering in massive numbers alongside the leaves and stems of many backyard crops. They’re additionally keen on cabbage and congregate alongside the veins of the outer leaves.

These soft-bodied bugs are clearly seen to the bare eye. They could be inexperienced, grey, white, yellow, or pink. Generally, brassica aphids might seem inexperienced however with a white waxy or powdery-looking masking. Aphids suck plant juices and trigger the leaves to change into withered, curled, and weak, ultimately turning yellow and brown, and at last dying. 

Use a sturdy jet of water out of your hose to dislodge aphids. A each day blast of water is commonly sufficient to discourage aphids from coming again. You can even use insecticidal cleaning soap to successfully kill aphids, spraying it immediately on teams of those pesky little bugs. 

Cabbage Looper

Cabbage loopers are vivid inexperienced inchworms which might be a significant pest of this crop’s leaves. They transfer by inching alongside as a result of they’ve no legs within the center a part of their physique. These are the larvae of an unassuming mottled brown-gray moth known as the cabbage looper moth. The grownup moth lays its eggs on a brassica plant, and some days later, the eggs hatch into voracious little caterpillars.  

These hungry little caterpillars chew holes within the leaves and develop shortly from only a few millimeters lengthy to about 1.5 inches lengthy. They munch gaping holes within the leaves anyplace they’ll attain. A badly infested plant could have leaves riddled with many massive, jagged holes.

Cabbage loopers are quite common pests and the bigger they develop, the extra harm they trigger. They’ll keep in your crops and eat for 3 or 4 weeks, till they’re able to pupate into their grownup moth type. 

Control your crops. If you happen to see telltale holes and vivid inexperienced inchworm-like caterpillars, you might have cabbage loopers. Stop them by defending your crops with floating row covers; the grownup moths received’t be capable to lay eggs on coated crops.

Eradicating caterpillars by hand, BT sprays, and pure predators are efficient natural pest management strategies. Pure pesticides can be used.

Cabbage Root Maggots

Cabbage root maggots are the larvae of the cabbage root maggot fly, a brownish-gray fly measuring between 5 and 7 millimeters lengthy. The grownup fly lays its eggs within the soil on the base of a bunch plant. The eggs hatch and the larvae burrow into the stem and feed on the plant’s roots.

As the foundation maggots destroy the stems and roots, your crops start wilting and the leaves will flip yellow. Shortly thereafter, because the larvae proceed feasting on the foundation system, the crops will wilt severely, collapse, and die.

Floating row covers will forestall adults from laying eggs on the stems and tilling the soil after your crops are harvested will assist forestall overwintering pupae from maturing. Crop rotation with non-brassica crops will even assist forestall a buildup of those pests.

If you happen to can delay spring plantings till the soil has warmed significantly, it will assist kill any eggs that could be current and thus forestall an infection, though your brassicas might endure from the warmth. 

Cutworms

Cutworms are very harmful, given their small measurement. These little caterpillars lower proper by way of younger plant stems, inflicting them to topple over and die. There are various species of cutworms however all of them have the identical technique of destruction, so it received’t matter a lot that you simply determine the species so long as you acknowledge your crops have succumbed to a cutworm assault.

Cutworms that assault brassicas might range in coloration, however all of them seem to have {smooth} pores and skin and they’re effectively camouflaged with the soil, typically with brown or grey coloration.

These are the larvae of a brown or grey moth. An grownup moth can lay tons of of eggs, both singly or in small clusters, on the base of their respective host crops. 

When the eggs hatch, the hungry larvae set to work chewing on leaves or bigger crops or slicing smaller crops down solely. Cutworm larvae feed primarily at night time and conceal within the soil throughout the day, so it’s possible you’ll by no means see them, however you’ll see proof of their chewing the next morning. 

Predatory beetles and parasitic wasps prey on cutworms however this might not be sufficient to curb cutworm harm. Hold your backyard mattress weed-free to get rid of their hiding locations. If you happen to suspect a cutworm drawback, use BT to assist management them. 

Diamondback Moth

The diamondback moth is discovered all through North America and is a quite common backyard pest. The grownup moth is small and slender with patterned brown markings. It lays eggs on all cruciferous greens, together with all sorts of cabbage, collards, and cauliflower. 

Diamondback moth larvae hatch after a couple of days and instantly begin feeding. The small, pale inexperienced caterpillars have tiny black spots on their our bodies however no different distinctive markings. They not often attain multiple centimeter lengthy earlier than pupating in a silky cocoon connected to the cabbage leaf. 

The larvae are small they usually could cause notable pest harm, though not as a lot as a few of the different frequent cabbage-feeding caterpillars. Diamondback larvae chew by way of layers of leaf tissue with out chewing fully by way of the leaves. It is a distinctive distinction between these and most different frequent caterpillar pests.

For pure, chemical-free management strategies, use row covers to stop adults from laying eggs, and hand-pick particular person caterpillars. Develop cabbages interplanted with non-cruciferous greens and herbs to discourage pests.

Observe crop rotation and embrace a various assortment of crops in your panorama to welcome a bunch of helpful bugs and insect-eating birds that will help you management pesky insect pests.

Cabbage Webworm

Do you see plump tan to grayish-yellow caterpillars in your crops, turning them right into a chewed-up mess? Youthful caterpillars could also be a strong tan coloration whereas older caterpillars have distinct brownish strips operating laterally alongside their our bodies.

These are the caterpillars of the cabbage webworm moth, a mottled brown moth measuring about one centimeter broad and fewer than two centimeters lengthy when at relaxation.

These crucifer-loving caterpillars feed on cabbages, broccoli, bok-choy, collards, and turnips, to call only a few of their favourite meals. They sometimes chew up the undersides of leaves with out breaking during.

This does sufficient harm to trigger the crops to wilt and forestall head and flower formation. Contaminated crops will likely be visibly broken, weak, and brittle because the caterpillars chew into their veins and stems. 

These pests are very troublesome to regulate. Since they conceal out on the undersides of leaves, they are going to be troublesome to take away by hand and bug predators are inefficient at searching them down.

Pesticides that focus on caterpillars can be utilized to regulate them, however remember that these pesticides additionally hurt helpful bugs and pollinators so use them sparingly and thoroughly to focus on simply the pests you see. 

Imported Cabbageworm

Most caterpillars that feed on cabbage are the larvae of moths. The imported cabbageworm, nonetheless, is the caterpillar of a butterfly referred to as the cabbage white. These white butterflies are small butterflies with white wings and distinctive black spots on every wing.

It is a frequent pest that’s related in look to different native species of cabbage white butterflies, though the imported cabbageworm is now the most typical.

These comfortable, inexperienced caterpillars measure as much as three centimeters lengthy. They’ve a barely ridged, velvety look with pale yellow spots alongside the decrease sides of the physique. These caterpillars feast in your crops for about two weeks earlier than pupating both on their host crops or in surrounding leafy particles.

If heat sufficient, they emerge once more as butterflies inside two extra weeks, however later within the season, they may overwinter as pupae and emerge as adults the next spring.

The imported cabbageworm caterpillars typically feed alongside the bigger leaf veins, chewing holes alongside the way in which. A number of caterpillars on the identical leaf will shortly scale back the leaf to nothing however veins. They’re blissful to feed on any cruciferous greens and lively caterpillars can simply transfer from one plant to the following. 

Parasitoid wasps, vespid wasps, and murderer bugs are predatory helpful bugs that assault these voracious caterpillars. Hand-picking is efficient however tedious as a result of there’ll typically be tons of of those little inexperienced caterpillars in your crops.

Putting in floating row covers on the time of planting may be very efficient at conserving the adults off your crops, due to this fact stopping them from laying their eggs. 

Cross-Striped Cabbageworm

Cross-striped cabbageworms are a the larvae of a moth and are frequent brassica pests within the southeastern United States. They feed on cabbage crops, broccoli, cauliflower, and different favourite backyard brassicas. You’ll discover their preliminary feeding harm as holes within the leaves, however because the harm progresses, the leaves could also be solely skeletonized.

You might by no means discover the non-descript gray-brown grownup moth however the caterpillars are pretty apparent. They shortly develop from an egg as much as about one-inch-long caterpillars. They’ve orange heads, yellowish and grey lateral stripes on their sides, and a white, grey, and yellow speckled sample on their backs.

These caterpillars are most typical with late-season crops. Stop the grownup moths from laying eggs in your crops by masking them with floating row covers. Invite helpful bugs, comparable to parasitic wasps, to your backyard to assist management caterpillar pests. Strive eradicating particular person caterpillars by hand in case you have just a few cabbage crops. 

Southern Cabbageworm

The southern cabbageworm is a typical pest all through a lot of the southern United States, though it can be discovered in additional northern states. It’s the larvae of the checkered white butterfly which lays its eggs on brassica crops.

The caterpillars then feed on the leaves till they attain maturity and pupate into the following technology of grownup butterflies.

Southern cabbageworm caterpillars attain simply over one inch in size. They’re grey and yellow striped, with tiny, irregular black spots and coarse, brief hairs. You’ll see the caterpillars on the leaves, and also you’ll clearly see the ragged-edged holes they chew as they feed, sometimes solely within the outer layer of leaves.

These caterpillars appear to be extra of an issue for fall crops than spring crops, they usually might not be an issue yearly. 

Management these caterpillars as you’ll different caterpillar pests. Use floating row covers to forestall butterflies from laying eggs in your crops. If you happen to simply have a couple of cabbage crops, spend a while in your patch day by day and hand-pick particular person caterpillars. Entice helpful bugs to your backyard that may feed upon these and different caterpillar pests. 

Beet Armyworm

The beet armyworm is a typical pest, significantly within the southern United States. That is the caterpillar of the mottled brown beet armyworm moth. The grownup has a wingspan of about three centimeters and a comfortable, fuzzy-looking pale grayish-brown physique. 

Adults lay their eggs on all kinds of backyard greens, together with cabbages and different brassicas in addition to many others. In contrast to many butterfly and moth species which have very particular host crops, the beet armyworm appears to eat absolutely anything.

Every grownup feminine can lay as much as 600 eggs, which signifies that you’ll possible have a military of hungry caterpillars feasting in your favourite backyard veggies. 

The caterpillars are pale inexperienced and plump. Their {smooth} our bodies are both all inexperienced with numerous inexperienced bands or they’ve a particular reddish-pink line alongside either side and a line of darkish spots or tough ovals above the pink traces. These caterpillars feast their approach by way of the leaves, making massive irregular holes as they feed.   

Prevention is one of the simplest ways to regulate a beet armyworm invasion, utilizing floating row covers on the time of planting to guard your cabbage crop from adults attempting to put eggs.

Parasitic wasps and different insect predators will fortunately feed on these plump caterpillars. Pure and organic controls are greatest for these pests as a result of they’re largely immune to pesticides, which leads to the overuse of ineffective chemical substances and harming helpful bugs.

Flea Beetle

The flea beetle is a small black beetle that feeds on leaves, significantly of younger crops. They chew many tiny holes within the leaves and if a number of beetles are current, as they often are, they’ll simply destroy seedlings earlier than they’ve an opportunity to develop. These tiny beetles have the behavior of springing from one place to a different, incomes them their identify. 

Flea beetles don’t concentrate on cabbages or brassicas, they chew up many different backyard crops as effectively, together with beans, eggplants, and tomatoes. In case you have these pests in your backyard throughout one season, you may count on to see them persist by way of the complete rising season, damaging a number of crops to the purpose of oblivion. 

These persistent pests are troublesome to regulate however there are some preventative measures you must take for those who’ve seen these beetles earlier than. Until your backyard within the fall to reveal any buried bugs and eggs that could be hiding within the soil.

Add helpful nematodes to your soil to feed on the soil-dwelling beetle larvae. You can even attempt companion planting with mint and basil to assist repel flea beetles and different pests, in addition to appeal to helpful bugs to your backyard. Pyrethrin and spinosad are natural pesticides you should use at the side of cultural and preventative controls.

Harlequin Bug

Harlequin bugs are harmful insect pests that feast totally on cabbages and different cruciferous greens. They’re prevalent all through the southern half of the US and may trigger critical hurt if not managed. 

The black and white banded eggs are laid on the undersides of the leaves of a appropriate host plant. The eggs hatch into tiny spherical, dome-backed insect nymphs with vivid orange and black markings. At this stage, they may nearly be confused with ladybug beetles.

As these bugs develop, develop, and molt, their patterns change, however all of them have variable patterns of black, white, and orange markings. Grownup harlequin bugs are extra simply acknowledged as a species of stink bugs with their angular our bodies and daring black and purple, orange, or yellow markings. 

Harlequin bugs pierce and suck the juices from plant leaves. Affected crops wilt and leaves flip yellow and brown. Plant development is stunted and your crops might die if critically contaminated. These insect pests are simply seen and you should have no bother figuring out them because the culprits. 

Management harlequin bugs by conserving your backyard clear and weed-free to scale back habitat for hiding pests. Hand-pick and destroy any eggs, nymphs, or adults that you simply see in your crops. If harm is extreme and you’ve got a big infestation, attempt spraying contaminated crops with an insecticidal cleaning soap.

Whiteflies

There are various completely different species of whiteflies, however the ones most frequently discovered on cabbages and brassicas are the cabbage whiteflies. These are tiny flying bugs which might be, as their identify implies, white.

You might or might not see these little pests however they do their fair proportion of injury to cabbage crops. They’re most prevalent within the fall and usually restricted to hotter climates the place they’ll overwinter. 

Whiteflies suck plant juices and it’s possible you’ll assume that since they’re so small, they shouldn’t trigger any critical hurt, however they do. Whiteflies reproduce shortly and shortly dwell in your cabbage leaves in large numbers. As they suck vitamins out of your plant, they deposit a sticky honeydew that draws fungal ailments that trigger additional harm. 

Once you purchase younger cabbage crops out of your native backyard heart, verify them rigorously for any signal of bugs, together with whiteflies, earlier than bringing them house. You don’t wish to by chance convey these pests into your backyard for those who can keep away from it. 

Invite and welcome helpful bugs to your backyard to allow them to prey on these and different insect pests. If you happen to want extra assist than the dragonflies and ladybugs can supply, you may spray with insecticidal cleaning soap, however use this with warning as it’ll additionally hurt good backyard bugs. 

Slugs and Snails

In case you have any protected, damp hiding locations in or round your backyard, you most likely have slugs and snails hiding on the market. Slugs and snails feed primarily at night time however go away telltale slime trails on the leaves and the bottom round your backyard crops. Within the morning, you’ll see the harm they trigger within the type of smooth-edged holes alongside the sides and the facilities of the leaves. 

If given the chance, these slimy pests feast on cabbages, lettuce, strawberries, hosta leaves, and plenty of different favourite backyard crops.

Slugs and snails lay their eggs within the soil, often below moist leaves, in compost piles, and below wooden, stones, and backyard planters. Raise any of this stuff and also you’re more likely to see at the least a few snails hiding beneath. 

Defend your crops from slugs and snails by eradicating their hiding locations. You can even deter them with copper edging and diatomaceous earth, though you’ll must reapply the diatomaceous earth after rainfall. One other trick to attempt is setting beer traps which magnetize slugs away out of your crops and drown them. 

Mammals

Deer, rabbits, squirrels, mice, and groundhogs eat a number of backyard crops. They could every have their favourite crops to munch and, whereas cabbage might not be on the prime of everybody’s record, looking mammals will most likely at the least style your cabbages, particularly when younger and tender. 

Mammals don’t simply nibble little holes within the leaves of your creating cabbage head— they eat the complete factor. In a single chew. Chomp. Gone. It may be irritating, to say the least, to be watching your crops develop, and you then discover that all of the sudden they’ve vanished. 

If you wish to preserve deer and different mammals away out of your cabbages, you’ll must plant your cabbages the place mammals can’t entry them. Plant your backyard inside a fenced space.

Use critter cages to guard seeds, seedlings, and younger crops, and hope that they’ll shortly develop massive sufficient to be uninteresting to munching mammals by the point they’ve outgrown the cage.

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