Sasha CampbellYou may have noticed small, green caterpillars on your cabbage plants. These pests are likely cabbage loopers.
Cabbage loopers can damage cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, and collards.
If you see these caterpillars in your garden, it is vital to take action immediately.
In this article, we will discuss different ways to control them naturally. Let’s get started!
What Do Cabbage Loopers Look Like?
They are yellow-green caterpillars with white stripes along their sides. These caterpillars chew irregular holes in the leaves of cabbage and other cruciferous crops.
These leaf eaters are named for their movement, which involves arching their backs to form a loop before projecting the rest of the body forward [1].
Signs of a Cabbage Looper Infestation
- Irregular holes in leaves.
- Green droppings (frass) on plants.
- Chewed cabbage heads.
- Green looping caterpillars on leaves.
When to Start Treatment
Start treating cabbage loopers as soon as you notice eggs, small caterpillars, or fresh feeding damage on your plants. Young loopers are much easier to control than larger ones and cause less damage.
Regularly check the undersides of leaves, as eggs are often laid there. Take action immediately to prevent a small problem from becoming a major infestation.
How to Get Rid of Cabbage Loopers Naturally
Below, we’ll share several ways to get rid of these pesky critters using things you likely have at home and organic products.
1. Scrape Off Eggs
When you see eggs on the plants, especially on the underside of the leaves, it is time to take action.
Cabbage looper eggs are small and pale green to white. They are typically laid singly on the undersides of leaves.
Remove and destroy them before they hatch into caterpillars.
2. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a powerful natural insecticide. It effectively targets cabbage loopers and other pests in the garden.
Bt is a naturally occurring soil bacterium. It produces proteins that are toxic to caterpillars after they feed on leaves treated with it.
This product is one of the most effective organic methods for controlling cabbage loopers.
3. Beneficial Insects
Another organic control method for cabbage loopers is to introduce beneficial insects.
These beneficial insects help reduce cabbage looper populations. They feed on eggs and young caterpillars, or parasitize larvae.
Parasitic wasps are among the most effective natural enemies of cabbage loopers. Ladybugs and lacewings may also help by feeding on eggs and very small caterpillars.
You can buy them online or let nature take its course and attract them to your garden.
4. Chickens
Chickens can be very helpful in the yard during insect pest season. They love to eat many of them!
If you keep backyard chickens, they may help reduce cabbage looper populations by eating caterpillars and other insects.
5. Floating Row Covers
You may have heard of floating row covers. These thin sheets of fabric can protect your plants from insect pests.
The fabric acts as a barrier, keeping cabbage looper moths from reaching your plants. They’re also reusable.
Fold them up and store them in a cool, dry place when you’re not using them.
A few different types are available, so choose the one that’s best for you.
6. Spinosad
You also have the option to use spinosad, another substance toxic to these cabbage pests.
It also works well on spongy moth caterpillars, broccoli worms, fall webworms, and beet armyworms. That’s why it is popular in organic farming.
Spinosad can be harmful to bees when sprayed directly on blooming plants [2], so apply it in the evening and avoid spraying flowers bees visit.
7. Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is an excellent home remedy for cabbage loopers.
Here’s how it works: The powder is sprinkled on the plant’s leaves, and the pests crawl through it.
The sharp edges of the powder cut into their soft bodies, and they dehydrate and die.
Reapply after rain or heavy watering because it loses effectiveness when wet.
8. Control Weeds
To get cabbage loopers out of your garden, address the weed problems.
Certain weeds in the mustard and cabbage family can serve as alternate host plants for cabbage loopers [3]. Keeping weeds under control may help reduce places where the pests can feed and reproduce.
9. Garlic Spray
To make it, blend 4 to 5 cloves of garlic with 2 cups of water. Strain the mixture and add a few drops of mild liquid soap to help the spray stick to the leaves.
Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and apply it to the tops and undersides of the leaves every few days, especially after rain.
While garlic spray may not kill cabbage loopers, it can help discourage feeding. It can also make your plants less attractive to pests.
10. Neem Oil
Neem oil works well against cabbage loopers and many other garden pests.
This natural pesticide is terrific. It’s biodegradable and generally considered environmentally friendly when used according to label directions.
So how do you use it? Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of neem oil with a gallon of water and a small amount of liquid soap, then spray the plants thoroughly.
You can also buy a ready-made mixture online.
11. Molt-X
Molt-X is made with natural ingredients, including azadirachtin, and it’s effective against many garden pests, including cabbage loopers.
Prepare it according to the instructions and use it to spray your plants. Molt-X is a good option for organically controlling cabbage loopers.
12. AzaGuard
AzaGuard is an OMRI-listed botanical insecticide effective against a wide range of pests. It works well against these pests. Just follow the instructions that come with your purchase.
13. Pick Off the Caterpillars
If you don’t have any of the above remedies, you can always pick the cabbage looper caterpillars off by hand. The process can be tedious, but it’s effective.
Moreover, they are big enough that you can spot them easily.
Takeaway
Now that you know these pests and the natural ways to get them off your plants, it’s time to take action.
For best results, start with proven methods such as hand-picking, Bt, row covers, and encouraging beneficial insects. Early detection and quick action can prevent serious damage to your cabbage and other cruciferous crops.
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