Cross-Striped Cabbageworm
Evergestis rimosalis
Chewing Insects Moderate Risk 15-20 mm (larvae)
📖 Description
The cross-striped cabbageworm is a pest of brassica crops found primarily in eastern North America. Its larvae feed gregariously in clusters on the undersides of leaves, creating a distinctive pattern of holes and window-pane feeding damage. Unlike the imported cabbageworm, which feeds singly, cross-striped cabbageworm larvae often feed in groups, which can result in rapid and concentrated defoliation of individual plants. They are particularly damaging to late-season cole crops and can render harvest portions unmarketable.
⚠️ Symptoms to watch for
- Small holes chewed in leaves between veins,Window-pane feeding on leaf surfaces,Larvae found in clusters on leaf undersides,Dark green frass on and around feeding sites,Stunted growth in severely defoliated plants
🩹 Treatment
- Hand-pick larvae from plants, especially from leaf undersides (organic),Apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to target young caterpillars (organic),Use spinosad-based insecticide for moderate to heavy infestations (chemical),Apply permethrin when economic thresholds are exceeded (chemical)
🌿 Organic treatments
- Hand-pick larvae from plants, especially from leaf undersides,Apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to target young caterpillars
🧪 Chemical treatments
- Use spinosad-based insecticide for moderate to heavy infestations,Apply permethrin when economic thresholds are exceeded
🛡️ Prevention
- Use floating row covers to prevent moths from laying eggs,Rotate brassica crops to non-host plants each season,Destroy crop residues after harvest to eliminate overwintering pupae,Plant trap crops like mustard to draw pests away from main crops
🪴 Affected plants
- Cabbage,Broccoli,Collard Greens,Kale
🦋 Natural predators
- Parasitic Wasps,Lady Beetles,Spiders,Stink Bugs
🌱 Host plants
- Brassica oleracea,Brassica napus,Brassica juncea,Raphanus sativus
🔄 Lifecycle
- Cross-striped cabbageworms produce two to three generations per year in temperate regions.
- They overwinter as pupae in soil or plant debris.
- Moths emerge in spring and lay egg masses of 20-30 eggs on leaf undersides.
- Larvae feed for about two weeks before pupating.
- The complete lifecycle takes approximately 4-5 weeks during summer months.
📅 Season
- Spring to Fall (most damaging in late summer)
🔎 Appearance
- Cross-striped cabbageworm larvae are bluish-gray caterpillars with distinctive black transverse stripes crossing the back on each body segment, giving them a neatly banded appearance.
- They have a yellowish-orange head and small black dots along the sides.
- When mature, they reach about 20 mm in length and tend to curl into a C-shape when disturbed.
- Adults are small yellowish-brown moths with darker wavy lines across the wings and a wingspan of about 25 mm.
💥 Damage level
- Moderate
🔁 Reproduction rate
- Moderate
🗺️ Geographic regions
- Eastern North America
- Central America
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