Cabbage Looper – Trichoplusia ni

Cabbage Looper   Scientific Name:  Trichoplusia ni Common Name:  Cabbage looper Appearance:  Adult Cabbage loopers are greyish moths with brown hind wings with a total wingspan of 40 mm. The male loopers have a distinguishing Y-shaped mark on their wings. It has a green caterpillar-like larva with some hairs on its body initially. It crawls on the ground by arching backwards and making a loop, hence its name. It also has a white strip on both sides of its body. Host Plants or Food:  Cabbage loopers depend on plants, especially cruciferous plants such as cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, kale, lettuce, and cauliflowers. They may also feed on flower and weed species. Territory: Throughout North America, Western USA, Eastern USA, and Europe Mode of Damage: They are leaf chewers who defoliate the plant by chewing holes. Habits and Life History: Cabbage looper is a diverse insect related to the crucifers. Although it is not highly damaging, their wide distribution means they are present everywhere. The female lay eggs in a large number on higher leaves, ranging from 300 to 600, usually during the night. The eggs hatch in 3 days, after which they transform into larvae which feed on the leafy vegetable foliage. When they are ready to pupate, they attach to the underside of the leaves and form a silk cocoon around themselves. Depending upon the geography, they may produce 2 to 7 generations per year. A single lifecycle takes about 24 to 33 days.