Cross-Striped Cabbageworm

The adult moth has a wingspan of about one inch. The front wings are straw-colored, marked with olive or purplish-brown, and crossed by narrow transverse lines. Hind wings are transparent and whitish. Eggs are laid in small masses, are oval, yellow, and flattened, and overlap slightly.

Larvae are gray with black tubercles to begin with and become bluish-gray with numerous transverse black bands. There is a yellow line along each side of the caterpillar. The mature caterpillar is about 0.6-0.7 inches long. The pupa is yellowish-brown, enclosed in a small cocoon covered with sand.

The Cross-Striped cabbageworm is more of a problem on broccoli, cauliflower, collards, and Brussels sprouts than it is on kale and cabbage. It can be abundant during the winter and spring cropping period in Florida. Larvae pupate in the soil, near the surface. Larvae feed on leaves, creating small holes. They prefer terminal buds and may also burrow into the center of developing cabbage heads.

Photo courtesy of Clemson University Department of Entomology, Soils & Plant Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service.

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