Cabbage looper
(Trichoplusia ni)

Overview

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The species Trichoplusia ni is commonly known as the Cabbage looper, which feeds on a wide variety of plants, such as cabbage, potato, soybean, tomato, etc. The cabbage looper can cause serious damage to young transplants as well as causing serious leaf feeding damage to older plants; some damage can lead to a decrease in marketability.

Main description

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The caterpillar grows to be about 2 inches long, is light green and has three pairs of "true" legs, as well as a pair of fleshy "false legs" (prolegs) on the 3rd, 4th and 6th (or last) segments. This arrangement of legs causes the caterpillar to crawl with a "looping" motion, similar to that of inchworms.

Scouting

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Scout for small cabbage looper larvae particularly on the undersides of leaves along leaf margins; however, they can be found on any part of the plant. Examine 5 plants in each of 8 separate locations per acre for the presence of the species. On crops destined for processing, there is a zero tolerance for larval contamination.