Cabbage Moth? Read Everything Here!

This moth doesn’t look like much but ruins many kinds of vegetables. Even though they are named after one of the plants they like best, gardeners know they can be found on everything from broccoli to tomatoes. Since these pests live in large areas, a lot of people know about them. Find out where they live, how they become a problem, and what they eat so you can protect your crop.

Scientific Name

The scientific name for the Cabbage Moth is Mamestra brassicae. It is a member of the Noctuidae family. This group of moths is sometimes namely owlet moths. The Noctuidae family has more than 11,000 species, making it the second-largest family of moths. The Mamestra brassicae is one type of moth among many others. But because of how they affect crops and plants, they are one of the more well-known ones.

The Lepidoptera order is made up of all moths, like the Cabbage Moth. Also in this group are butterflies. There are many ways in which moths and butterflies are alike, but there are also some important ways in which they are different. Moths tend to have duller colors than butterflies, which are usually very bright. This is true for the Cabbage Moth that is brown. When they rest, they spread their wings over their bodies. This is one of the easiest ways to tell the difference between a moth and a butterfly.

Cabbage Moths and Cabbage Butterflies are not the same things. Even though they act and eat plants in the same way, Cabbage Butterflies are a different species. The scientific name for a cabbage butterfly is Pieris rapae. They are in the family Pieridae. The Noctuidae family is home to Mamestra brassicae, also known as the cabbage moth. Both are in the order Lepidoptera.

Appearance

The Cabbage Moth doesn’t have a lot of distinctive markings that make it easy for gardeners to spot. Like many other moths, they are about 1.5 inches long. They have two wings in front and two wings in the back. These are mostly brown, with spots and bands of black and white. They can be identified as Cabbage Moths by a white stripe near the edge of their wings, though this may not be very clear.

The caterpillars of the Cabbage Moth are green with black and brown spots. As they grow and mature toward the end of the larvae stage, these become more obvious. They turn into brown pupae when they are ready to become adult moths.

Cabbage moths look a lot like other kinds of moths, both when they are young and when they are grown up. This can make it hard to tell them apart at a glance. One of the best ways to figure out if you have Cabbage Moths is to look at how they affect plants. Larvae eat the leaves and often stay close to the ground and on the bottom side. If your cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, or sunflowers have been eaten by something, look for larvae that could be cabbage moths.

Cabbage moths are about 1.5 inches long and have two front and two back wings.

Cabbage Moth Habitat

These moths live in Asia and Europe. Even in parts of Africa, they can live. Because their favorite foods grow easily in the wild or can be grown in gardens, there is plenty for these moths to eat. They have grown and changed so much that they now live in many places.

In the United States, cabbage moths are not a known pest. But bringing in live plants and vegetables always makes it more likely that they will spread to other parts of the world. The climate in other parts of the world, like North and South America, is good for the survival and growth of the cabbage moth. Growers have to be very careful to look for cabbage moth eggs and larvae when they get new plants.

In this form, adult moths often can’t fly far enough or live long enough to spread to new parts of the world. Most of the time, eggs and larvae stick to plants to move to new places.

Cabbage Moth Diet

These moths don’t care what they eat. This means they eat a lot of different kinds of plants. Many, like cabbage and broccoli, grow close to the ground. Some plants, like sunflowers, can grow higher. Gardens grow a lot of the food that Cabbage Moths like to eat. These can be small home gardens or bigger plots used for business. Any way you look at it, when Cabbage Moths are brought in, gardeners and farmers move quickly to control their population before they wipe out crops.

Cabbage Moths like to eat cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, and lettuce, among other plants. They also like plants that grow on a vine, like tomatoes and peas. Cabbage moths can also eat tobacco and a lot of other plants that are important to businesses outside of home gardens.

Cabbage Moth larvae eat both the plants and their leaves when they eat. They dig into the plant, eat it, and then leave their own waste behind. They are more active at night, which makes it hard to see them during the day. If your plants are getting eaten every night, it could be because of Cabbage Moths.

Related: CAN CATS EAT TURKEY? 

Cabbage Moth Prevention

Like getting rid of other pests, it’s important to find them early. The female Cabbage Moths lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves, sometimes up to 350 at a time. When these large groups of the eggs hatch, they turn into a lot of hungry young. It takes about a week for an egg to hatch. If you see eggs or young bugs on your plants, just pull them off and throw them away.

Bringing their natural enemies into your garden is a great way to get rid of cabbage moths. The caterpillar stage of Cabbage Moths is very tasty to birds like chickens. Getting chickens can be fun and helpful if you live in a place where chickens are okay. Just remember that they have their own needs that you’ll have to take into account.

You can bring wild birds to your garden even if you don’t want to keep your own flock. Wild birds feel right at home when they have food, water, and a place to live. Many of them also eat the young Cabbage Moths.

Some kinds of wasps can also slow or stop the growth of Cabbage Moth larvae at different stages. Putting wasps in your garden to get rid of pests, on the other hand, is something only experienced gardeners should do.

Last, Cabbage Moths can be stopped and killed with insecticides. It can also hurt good bugs, so we only suggest this as a last resort. When you spray insecticides on your plants, make sure to get the undersides of the leaves, where the eggs will be. Also, you should wash your vegetables before you eat them.

FAQs: Cabbage Moths

Are Cabbage Moths Dangerous?

Cabbage moths only hurt plants, but the damage they can do to crops could cost farmers money. They aren’t harmful to people or animals. Many birds, like even the young of the Cabbage Moth.

How Do I Get Rid Of Cabbage Moths?

If you see them on your plants, the best thing to do is to pick off the eggs or larvae by hand. You can also use a towel or gloves to wipe them off. Insecticides can also work, but most gardeners try to stay away from them because they don’t want to eat the plants that have been treated.

What Trap Crops Work For Cabbage Moths?

A trap crop is a type of plant that pests like that can lure away from other plants that you want to preserve. Cabbage Moths like nasturtiums. Planting these in a separate area can lure Cabbage Moths away from your crops and to the trap crop.