CONPENDIUM OF LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECT PESTS

INSECT PEST BIOLOGY/DESCRIPTIONHOST

PLANT(S)NATURE OF

DAMAGECONTROL

MEASURESNATURAL ENEMIES

1. ArmywormPseudaletia unipuncta (Haworth)Noctuidae

The armyworm, Pseudaletia unipuncta (Haworth), is sometimes called "true armyworm" to distinguish it from other species that include "armyworm" in the common name.

Egg: Adult females deposit eggs in clusters consisting of two to five rows, in sheltered places on foliage, often between the leaf sheath and blade, especially on dry grass. The eggs are white or yellowish, but turn gray before immediately before hatching.

Larva: Larvae normally display six instars, though up to nine instars have been observed. Except for the first instar, which is pale with a dark head, the larvae of the armyworm are marked with longitudinal stripes throughout their development. The head capsule is yellowish or yellow-brown with dark net-like markings. The body color is normally grayish green, but a broad dark stripe occurs dorsally and along each side. A light subspiracular stripe often is found laterally beneath the dark stripe.

Pupa: Larvae pupate in the soil, often under debris, at depths of 2 to 5 cm. Pupation occurs in an oval cell that contains a thin silken case.

barley corn millet oats rice rye sorghum sugarcane wheat bean cabbage carrot celery cucumber lettuce onion pea pepper radish sugar beet sweet potato watermelon

Larvae initially skeletonize foliage, but by the third instar they eat holes in leaves, and soon afterwards consume entire leaves.

Larvae of armyworm are notorious for appearing out of nowhere to inflict a high level of defoliation.

Adults can be captured with blacklight traps, and a sex pheromone has been identified and can be used for population monitoring. It is advisable to examine crop fields for larvae, especially if moths have been captured in light or pheromone traps.

Fields should be examined at dawn or dusk, because larvae are active at this time.

If it is necessary to check fields during the day, it is important to sift through the upper surface of the soil and under debris for resting larvae.

Larvae will consume wheat bran baits treated with insecticide, but foliar and soil-applied insecticides are also effective, and used

Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Various predatory bugs (Hemiptera: various families)

Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae and Phalangiidae

Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linnaeus) or armyworm bird

Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos Brehm

Starling, Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus

The fungus Metarhizium anisopliae

Adult: The adults are light reddish brown moths with wing spans measuring about 4 cm. Adults are nocturnal.

frequently.

2. Beet ArmywormSpodoptera exigua (Hübner)Noctuidae

The beet armyworm originated in Southeast Asia.

Egg: Eggs are laid in clusters of 50 to 150 eggs per mass. Normal egg production is about 300 to 600 per female. Eggs are usually deposited on the lower surface of the leaf, and often near blossoms and the tip of the branch.

Larva: There normally are five instars, although additional instars are sometimes reported. The larvae are pale green or yellow in color during the first and second instars, but acquire pale stripes during the third instar. During the fourth instar, larvae are darker dorsally, and possess a dark lateral stripe.

Pupa: Pupation occurs in the soil. The chamber is constructed from sand and soil particles held together with an oral secretion that hardens when it dries. The pupa is light brown in color and measures about 15 to 20 mm in length. Duration of the pupal stage is six to seven days during warm weather.

Adult: The moths are moderately sized, the wing span measuring 25 to 30 mm. The forewings are mottled gray and brown, and normally with an irregular banding pattern and a light colored bean-shaped

asparagus bean beet broccoli cabbage,

cauliflower celery chickpea corn cowpea,

eggplant lettuce onion pea pepper Potato Radish Spinach sweet potato tomato turnip cotton peanut sorghum Soybean tobacco

Larvae feed on both foliage and fruit.

Young larvae feed gregariously and skeletonize foliage.

As they mature, larvae become solitary and eat large irregular holes in foliage.

They also burrow into the crown or center of the head on lettuce, or on the buds of cole crops.

As a leaf feeder, beet armyworm consumes much more cabbage tissue than the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), but is less damaging than the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hübner).

Beet armyworm larvae are susceptible to neem products.

Eggs can be killed with petroleum oil, and both eggs and young larvae can be controlled with foliar applications of 5% cottonseed oil, but this concentration is damaging to some plants.

Pheromones can also be used disrupt mating and inhibit or eliminate reproduction.

Saturation of the atmosphere around beet armyworm-susceptible crops has been estimated to reduce mating by 97%.

Parasitoids: Chelonus insularis Cresson, Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson), and Meteorus autographae (Muesbeck) (all Hymenoptera: Braconidae), and the tachinid Lespsia archippivora (Riley) (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Predators :Minute pirate bugs, Orius spp. (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae); Bigeye bugs, Geocoris spp. (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae); Damsel bugs, Nabis spp. (Hemiptera: Nabidae); and a Predatory shield bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say).

Pupae are subject to attack, especially by the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren. Fungal diseases

spot. Erynia sp. and Nomurea rileyi, and a nuclear polyhedrosis virus also inflict some mortality

3. Fall ArmywormSpodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith)Noctuidae

Egg: The egg is dome shaped; the base is flattened and the egg curves upward to a broadly rounded point at the apex. The number of eggs per mass varies considerably but is often 100 to 200, and total egg production per female averages about 1500 with a maximum of over 2000. The eggs are sometimes deposited in layers, but most eggs are spread over a single layer attached to foliage.

Larva: There usually are six instars in fall armyworm. Young larvae are greenish with a black head, the head turning orange in the second instar. In the second, but particularly the third instar, the dorsal surface of the body becomes brownish, and lateral white lines begin to form.

Pupa: Pupation normally takes place in the soil, at a depth 2 to 8 cm. The larva constructs a loose cocoon, oval in shape and 20 to 30 mm in length, by tying together particles of soil with silk. If the soil is too hard, larvae may web together leaf debris and other material to form a cocoon on the soil surface. The pupa is reddish brown in color.Adult: In the male moth, the forewing

cotton clover corn Peanut Rice Sorghum sugarbeet, soybean,

sugarcane tobacco, wheat strawberry

Larvae cause damage by consuming foliage.

Young larvae initially consume leaf tissue from one side, leaving the opposite epidermal layer intact.

By the second or third instar, larvae begin to make holes in leaves, and eat from the edge of the leaves inward.

Feeding in the whorl of corn often produces a characteristic row of perforations in the leaves.

Larval densities are usually reduced to one to two per plant when larvae feed in close proximity to one another, due to cannibalistic behavior.

Insecticides may be applied in the irrigation water if it is applied from overhead sprinklers.

Granular insecticides are also applied over the young plants because the particles fall deep into the whorl.

The most important cultural practice is early planting and/or early maturing varieties.

Wasp parasitoids: Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) and Chelonus texanus (Cresson)

Fly parasitoid: Archytas marmoratus (Townsend)

Predators: ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae); striped earwig, Labidura riparia (Pallas) (Dermaptera: Labiduridae); spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae); and the insidious flower bug, Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae).

Vertebrates such as birds, skunks, and rodents also consume larvae and pupae readily.

generally is shaded gray and brown, with triangular white spots at the tip and near the center of the wing. The forewings of females are less distinctly marked, ranging from a uniform grayish brown to a fine mottling of gray and brown. Duration of adult life is estimated to average about 10 days, with a range of about seven to 21 days.

Older larvae cause extensive defoliation, often leaving only the ribs and stalks of corn plants, or a ragged, torn appearance.

4. Southern ArmywormSpodoptera eridania (Stoll)Noctuidae

Egg: The shape of the eggs is a flattened sphere. The eggs are greenish initially, turning tan as they age. Eggs are laid in clusters, and covered with scales from the body of the moth. Duration of the egg stage is four to six days.

Larva: Larvae are green or blackish green with a uniform light brown or reddish brown head throughout the period of development. Larger larvae bear a narrow white line dorsally, and additional stripes laterally. Larvae usually are found on the lower surface of leaves, and are most active at night. Duration of the larval stage is normally 14 to 20 days.

Pupa: Pupation occurs in the soil, usually at a depth of 5 to 10 cm. The pupae are mahogany brown in color and measure about 16 to 18 mm in length and 5 to 6 mm in width. Duration of the pupal period is 11 to 13 days.

Adults: The moths measure 33 to 38 mm

beet cabbage carrot cowpea eggplant okra pepper potato sweet potato tomato watermelon avocado citrus peanut tobacco

Larvae are defoliators and feed gregariously while young, often skeletonizing leaves.

As they mature they become solitary, and also bore readily into fruit.

When stressed by a lack of food they will eat the apical portions of branches, bore into stem tissue, and attack tubers near the surface of the soil.

Southern armyworm is best controlled with foliar insecticides when larvae are small.

Insecticides vary considerably in their toxicity to larvae, and is difficult to control with botanical insecticides.

Wasp parasitoids: Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson), Chelonus insularis Cresson, Meteorus autographae Muesebeck, and M. laphygmae Viereck (all Hymenoptera: Braconidae); Campoletis flavicincta (Ashmead) and Ophion flavidus Brulle (both Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae); Euplectrus platyhypenae Howard (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae); Choeteprosopa hedemanni Braeur and Bergenstamm, Euphorocera claripennis

in wing span. The forewings are gray and brown, with irregular dark brown and black markings. The wing pattern is highly variable, some individuals bearing a pronounced bean-shaped spot near the center of the wing whereas others lack the spot or instead bear a broad black band extending from the center of the wing to the margin. The hind wings are opalescent white.

(Macquart), Gonia crassicornis (Fabricius), Winthemia quadripustulata (Fabricius), and W. rufopicta (Bigot) (all Diptera: Tachinidae).

Predators: stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Larvae also are susceptible to infection by the fungus Beauveria bassiana.

5. Yellowstriped ArmywormSpodoptera ornithogalli (Guenée)Noctuidae

Egg: The eggs are greenish to pinkish brown in color and bear 45 to 58 small ridges. Females typically deposit clusters of 200 to 500 eggs, usually on the underside of leaves. Duration of the egg stage is three to five days at warm temperatures.

Larva: Larvae initially are gregarious in behavior, but as they mature they disperse, sometimes spinning strands of silk upon which they are blown by the wind. Coloration is variable, but mature larvae tend to bear a broad brownish band dorsally, with a faint white line at the center. More pronounced are black triangular markings along each side, with a distinct yellow or white line below.

Pupa: Larvae pupate in the soil within a

asparagus bean beet cabbage carrot corn cucumber lettuce onion pea potato sweet potato,

tomato turnip watermelon cotton clover grape sorghum soybean,

Larvae damage plants principally by consumption of foliage.

The small, gregarious larvae tend to skeletonize foliage but as the larvae grow and disperse they consume irregular patches of foliage or entire leaves.

However, they will also feed on the fruits of tomato, cotton, and other plants.

Insecticides are applied to foliage to prevent injury by larvae.

The microbial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis can be applied to kill armyworms, but should be applied when the larvae are young, as they become difficult to control as they mature.

Larvae will consume bran bait containing insecticide.

Wasp parasitoids: Rogas laphygmae Viereck, R. terminalis (Cresson), Zele mellea (Cresson), Chelonus insularis Cresson and Apanteles griffini Viereck (all Hymenoptera: Braconidae); Euplectrus plathypenae Howard (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

Numerous flies have been found to parasitize yellowstriped armyworm including

cell containing a thin lining of silk. The reddish brown pupa measures about 18 mm in length. Duration of the pupal stage is nine to 22 days, normally averaging 12 to 18 days.

Adult: The moths measure 34 to 41 mm in wing span. The front wings are brownish gray with a complicated pattern of light and dark markings. Irregular whitish bands normally occur diagonally near the center of the wings, with additional white coloration distally near the margin. The hind wings are opalescent white, with a narrow brown margin.

sugarbeet tobacco wheat

Archytas spp., Choeteprosopa hedemanni Brauer and Bergenstamm, Euphorocera omissa (Reinhard), E. tachinomoides Townsend, Lespesia aletiae (Riley), L. archippivora (Riley), Omotoma fumiferanae (Tothill), Winthemia quadripustulata (Fabricius), and W. rufopicta (Bigot) (all Diptera: Tachinidae)

6. Bean LeafrollerUrbanus proteus (Linnaeus)Hesperiidae

Egg: The eggs of the bean leafroller are deposited singly or in small clusters of two to six eggs on the lower epidermis of foliage. Initially the eggs are white in color, but soon turn yellow. The egg is a slightly flattened sphere, and measures about 1 mm in diameter. Eggs hatch in three to four days.

Larva: There are five larval instars, and 15 to 20 days are required for the larval stages. Initially the larva is yellowish with a brownish-black head and prothoracic shield. The head is quite large relative to the body, and remains this way throughout development. With the molt to the second

cowpea lima bean pea snap bean soybean

Larvae are defoliators, feeding only on leaf tissue of legumes. Initially the larva cuts a small, triangular patch at the edge of the leaf, folds over the flap, and takes up residence within this shelter.

The larva leaves the shelter to feed, and lines the shelter with silk.

These flaps are

Most insecticides applied to the foliage are very effective for leafroller suppression.

Chrysotachina alcedo (Loew) (Diptera: Tachinidae) was reared from larvae, and predation was observed by a Polistes spp. wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) and Euthyrhynchus floridanus (Linnaeus) stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

Also, a nuclear polyhedrosis virus

instar the dorsal surface of the insect becomes marked with numerous small, black spots.

Pupa: The larva pupates on the plant, within the shelter formed by the larva from leaf material. The pupa is yellow to brown, and is covered by a bluish-white pubescence. Duration of the pupal stage is seven to 20 days.

Adult: The bean leafroller adult is fairly large, measuring about 50 mm in wingspan. The most pronounced feature is the prolonged extensions, or "tails," of the hind wings. As a result of these extensions, the adult butterfly is commonly known as the "longtail skipper." The forewings and hind wings are chocolate brown dorsally and pale brown ventrally. Green iridescent scales are present on the wings and body.

used until the third or fourth instar, when the larva constructs a larger shelter formed by folding over a large section of the leaf by webbing together two separate leaves.

Larvae feed nocturnally.

was found to infect and kill up to 40 to 50 percent of larvae late in the season when larvae were numerous.

7. Sugarcane BorerDiatraea saccharalis (Fabricius)Pyralidae

Egg: They are deposited in clusters, and overlap like the scales on a fish. An egg cluster may contain from two to 50 eggs, with eggs deposited on both the upper and lower surface of leaves. The eggs are white initially, but turn orange with age and then acquire a blackish hue just before hatching. Duration of the egg stage is four to six days.

Larva: Eggs within a cluster hatch about the same time, or at least within a few

sugarcane corn rice sorghum

Sugarcane borer sometimes is a serious pest of sugarcane.

Larvae bore into the sugarcane stalks.

In mature plants the tops tend to weaken or die, sometimes breaking off.

In young plants the inner whorl of leaves

Insecticides can be applied to the foliage of sugarcane, providing significant yield increases even in the presence of predation and resistant varieties.

Insecticides should be applied while the larvae are young,

Parasitoids: Trichogramma sp. (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), Agathis stigmaterus (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Lixophaga diatraeae (Diptera: Tachinidae), Cotesia flavipes Cameron

hours of one another. Larvae tend to congregate in the whorl of corn plants and begin feeding almost immediately. They may feed through the leaf tissue or tunnel through the midrib. After the first or second molt they burrow into the stalk.

Pupa: Pupation occurs within the plant, in a tunnel created by the larva. The larva cleans and expands the tunnel prior to pupation, leaving only a thin layer of plant tissue for the moth to break through at emergence. Duration of the pupal stage is usually eight to nine days, but under cool conditions may extend for up to 22 days.

Adults: The adult is a yellowish or yellowish brown moth with a wing span that measures 18 to 28 mm in males and 27 to 39 mm in females. The forewing also bears numerous narrow brown lines extending the length of the wing. The hind wing of females is white, but in males it is darker. The adults are nocturnal, remaining hidden during the daylight hoursDuration of the adult stage is three to eight days.

is killed, resulting in a condition known as "dead heart."

The amount and purity of juice that can be extracted from cane is reduced when borers are present, and sucrose yield may be decreased 10 to 20%.

Lastly, when seed cane is attacked, the tunneling by borers makes the seed piece susceptible to fungal infection.

before they burrow into the stalk.

However, some control is possible even later, possibly because larvae leave their tunnel during the process of pushing out excrement.

It is advisable to destroy cane trash in the winter as it will reduce overwintering by larvae, but the practice of burning does not always kill borers deep within the stalks.

(Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Orgilus elasmopalpi Muesebeck, Apanteles diatraeae Musebeck, Apanteles impunctatus Musebeck (all Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Euplectrus plathypenae Howard, and Syntomosphyrum clisiocampe (Ashmead) (both Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

8. Tobacco BudwormHeliothis virescens (Fabricius)Noctuidae

Egg: Eggs are deposited on blossoms, fruit, and terminal growth. The eggs are spherical, with a flattened base. Eggs initially are whitish to yellowish white in color, but turn gray as they age.

Larva: Tobacco budworm larvae have five to seven instars, with five or six most

tobacco cotton bean cabbage lettuce pea pepper pigeon pea

Larvae bore into buds and blossoms, and sometimes the tender terminal foliar growth, leaf petioles, and stalks. In the absence of reproductive tissue,

Foliar insecticides are commonly used in crops where tobacco budworm damage is likely to occur.

However, destruction of beneficial

Predators: Polistes spp. wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae); bigeye bug, Geocoris punctipes (Say) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae); damsel

common. Young larvae are yellowish or yellowish green in color with a yellowish brown head capsule. Later instars are greenish with dorsal and lateral whitish bands, and with a brown head capsule. Many of the bands may be narrow or incomplete, but a broad, lateral subspiracular band is usually pronounced.

Pupa: Pupation occurs in the soil. Pupae are shiny reddish brown in color, becoming dark brown prior to emergence of the adult. The pupa averages 18.2 mm in length and 4.7 mm in width. Duration of the pupal stage is reported to be about 22 days at 20°C, 13.0 days at 25°C, and 11.2 days at 30°C.

Adult: The moths are brownish in color, and lightly tinged with green. The front wings are crossed transversely by three dark bands, each of which is often accompanied by a whitish or cream-colored border. Females tend to be darker in color. The hind wings are whitish, with the distal margin bearing a dark band. The moths measure 28 to 35 mm in wing span. The pre-oviposition period of females is about two days in length. Longevity of moths is reported to range from 25 days when held at 20°C, to 15 days at 30°C.

squash tomato bird of paradise chrysanthemum gardenia

larvae feed readily on foliar tissue.

Infested tobacco with both tobacco budworm and corn earworm, and observed very similar patterns and levels of injury by these closely related species.

Entry of larvae into fruit increases frequency of plant disease.

organisms often results, and this is thought to exacerbate budworm damage.

Larvae will also consume bait formulated from cornmeal and insecticide.

Early season destruction of weeds with herbicide or mowing, or destruction of larvae on the weeds by treatment with insecticides, can reduce tobacco budworm population size.

The microbial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis is effective against budworm (

Heliothis nuclear polyhedrosis virus has been used effectively to suppress tobacco budworm on field crops.

bugs, Nabis spp. (Hemiptera: Nabidae); minute pirate bugs, Orius spp. (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), and spiders.

Parasitoids: Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), Cardiochiles nigriceps Viereck, Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) (both Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Archytas marmoratus (Townsend) (Diptera: Tachinidae); Meteorus autographae Muesebeck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae); Campoletis flavicincta (Ashmead), C. perdistinctus (Viereck)

9. Cabbage ButterflyPieris rapae (Linnaeus)

Egg: Eggs are laid singly, usually on the lower surface of outer leaves of plants. The egg measures 0.5 mm in width and

broccoli brussels sprouts cabbage

Cabbage butterfly larvae feed on foliage, and if left

Cabbage butterfly larvae are readily killed by foliar

Predators: shield bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae),

Pieridae 1.0 mm in length, and initially is pale white in color but eventually turns yellowish. The egg is laid on end, with the point of attachment flattened and the distal end tapering to a blunt point.

Larva: The larva is green, velvety in appearance, and bears five pairs of prolegs. There are five instars. All larval stages except the first instar bear a narrow yellow line running along the center of the back; this stripe is sometimes incomplete on the early instars. A broken yellow line, or series of yellow spots, also occurs on each side.

Pupa: Pupation normally occurs on the food plant, but cabbageworm may pupate in nearby debris. The chrysalis is about 18 to 20 mm in length, and varies in color, usually yellow, gray, green and speckled brown. At pupation, the chrysalis is anchored by the tip of the abdomen to the silk pad, and a strand of silk is loosely spun around the thorax.

Adult: Upon emergence from the chrysalis the butterfly has a wing span of about 4.5 to 6.5 cm. It is white above with black at the tips of the forewings. The adult typically lives about three weeks. The female produces 300 to 400 eggs. The adult is very active during the daylight hours, often moving from the crop to flowering weeds to feed.

cauliflower collard horseradish lettuce mustard pechay

unchecked often will reduce mature plants to stems and large veins.

Although they prefer leafy foliage, larvae may burrow into the heads of broccoli and cabbage, especially as they mature.

Larvae are often immobile, and difficult to dislodge, and may be overlooked when cleaning produce.

Larvae produce copious quantities of fecal material which also contaminate and stain produce.

application of insecticides, including the bacterial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis.

Botanical insecticides are fairly effective.

Paper caps early in the season, and row covers later, are effective in preventing oviposition by cabbage butterflies.

ambush bugs (Hemiptera: Phymatidae), vespid wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), insectivorous birds.

Parasitoids: Apanteles glomeratus (L.) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), A. glomeratus, tachinids (Diptera: Tachinidae).

10. Cabbage LooperTrichoplusia ni (Hübner)Noctuidae

Egg: Cabbage looper eggs are hemispherical in shape, with the flat side affixed to foliage. They are deposited singly on either the upper or lower surface of the leaf, although clusters of six to seven eggs are not uncommon. The eggs are yellowish white or greenish in color, bear longitudinal ridges, and measure about 0.6 mm in diameter and 0.4 mm in height.

Larva: Young larvae initially are dusky white, but become pale green as they commence feeding on foliage. They are somewhat hairy initially, but the number of hairs decreases rapidly as larvae mature. Larvae have three pairs of prolegs, and crawl by arching their back to form a loop and then projecting the front section of the body forward. The mature larva is predominantly green, but is usually marked with a distinct white stripe on each side.

Pupa: At pupation, a white, thin, fragile cocoon in formed on the underside of foliage, in plant debris, or among clods of soil. The pupa contained within is initially green, but soon turns dark brown or black. The pupa measures about 2 cm in length.

Adult: The forewings of the cabbage looper moth are mottled gray-brown in color; the hind wings are light brown at the base, with the distal portions dark brown.

Broccoli Cabbage Cauliflower Chinese

cabbage mustard radish turnip watercress beet celery cucumber lima bean lettuce pea Pepper Potato snap bean,

spinach squash sweet potato tomato watermelon chrysanthemu sweetpea cotton tobacco

Cabbage loopers are leaf feeders, and in the first three instars they confine their feeding to the lower leaf surface, leaving the upper surface intact.

The fourth and fifth instars chew large holes, and usually do not feed at the leaf margin.

In the case of cabbage, however, they feed not only on the wrapper leaves, but also may bore into the developing head.

Larvae consume three times their weight in plant material daily .

Feeding sites are marked by large accumulations of sticky, wet fecal material.

Botanical insecticides such as rotenone are less effective against cabbage looper than they are against other cabbage-feeding Lepidoptera , but neem functions as both a feeding deterrent and growth regulator.

Microbial insecticides currently play a role in cabbage looper management, and their potential role has yet to be fully realized.

Bacillus thuringiensis has long been used for effective suppression of cabbage looper, and has the advantage of not disrupting populations of beneficial insects.

Row covers, where economically practical, are effective at preventing cabbage looper moths from depositing eggs on

Voria ruralis (Fallen) (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Copidosoma truncatellum (Dalman) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)

Trichogramma sp.

Hyposoter exiguae (Viereck) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Nuclear polyhedrosis virus

The forewing bears silvery white spots centrally: a U-shaped mark and a circle or dot that are often connected.

crops.