How do you identify a cabbage moth?

How do you identify a cabbage moth?

Adult cabbage moths are roughly 10mm long, and mottled grey with a diamond pattern on their wings. The more familiar cabbage white butterfly is a little larger at around 40mm, and has white wings with small black corner spots.

What does a Michigan gypsy moth look like?

“Gypsy moth caterpillars rarely kill trees in Michigan,” said James Wieferich, DNR forest health specialist. The leaf-eating caterpillars are hairy, up to 2 inches long and have a pattern of blue and dark-red spots. Male moths are dark buff in color and fly; females are white with black, wavy markings and do not fly.

What kind of moths live in Michigan?

NORTHERN MICHIGAN (WPBN/WGTU) — There is an outbreak of gypsy moths across Michigan, an issue that first started in the mid-1980s. The caterpillars begin to emerge in May and can be found all over Michigan, but it isn’t until June when you’ll really start to notice them.

What do cabbage worm moths look like?

Most Common Cabbageworm Pests Cross-Striped cabbageworms are bluish gray with numerous black stripes running cross-wise. A black and yellow stripe also runs along the length of the body. Larvae feed on all tender parts of the plant, but prefer buds. Young leaves and buds are often riddled with holes.

What keeps cabbage moths away?

For example, brassica companion plants like thyme, dill, oregano, lavender, onions, garlic, and marigolds are said to deter cabbage moths. On the other hand, some companion plants can serve as a “trap crop” and attract cabbage worms – while luring them away from your veggies! Nasturtiums are a prime example.

Are cabbage moths beneficial?

For many gardeners planting brassicas in anything but the very early spring or fall is asking to be devastated. Cabbage moths can quickly colonize a patch of brassicas leaving tons of eggs which seem to grow into caterpillars and strip entire plants in the blink of an eye.

Why are gypsy moths so bad in Michigan this year?

Outbreaks of the invasive species aren’t always common but can cause a lot of damage by feeding on the leaves of oaks and other trees when their populations cyclically rise, according to Michigan State University, Gypsy moth populations have previously exploded in northern areas of the state’s lower peninsula.

Why are gypsy moths so bad this year 2021?

What’s unique about the 2021 outbreak, Liebhold said, is that the caterpillars are being found further north than before — even into Ontario, where he said the gypsy moth population is likely the largest. Extreme drought has hindered the growth of some natural funguses that are repellent to the caterpillars, he said.

Are luna moths common in Michigan?

The luna moth is univoltine (one generation) from Michigan northward, bivoltine throughout the Ohio Valley, and trivoltine southward (Tuskes et al. 1996). In Louisiana and Florida, adults may be found during every month of the year Also, reared specimens often differ in coloration from those in nature (Ferguson 1972).

What is the largest moth in Michigan?

cecropia
The cecropia is Michigan’s largest moth. It has a six-inch wingspan and its preferred food plants include wild black cherry, sugar maple and silver maple.

How do I keep moths off my cabbage?

If you use BTK (Bacillus thuringiensis), remember to spray the underside of the leaves as well. Plants that seem to repel the moth include onion, garlic, tomato, sage, tansy, mint, nasturtium, hemp, hyssop, and rosemary. You may want to plan your cabbage planting to include these varieties nearby.

What kind of moths are found in Michigan?

Moth insects found in the state of Michigan Abbott’s Sphinx Moth. Abbreviated Button Slug Moth. Achemon Sphinx Moth. Adjutant Wainscot Moth. Ailanthus Webworm Moth. Ambiguous Moth. American Dagger. American Dun-bar Moth. American Ermine. American Idia. American Lappet Moth. Angulose

What kind of caterpillars are on Coles cabbage?

The adult moth is mottled gray with a distinct silvery spot on each forewings. More extensive information about these pests and an additional caterpillar pest, the diamondback moth, can be found in the Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E3165, “ Caterpillar Pests in Cole Crops .”

How do you get rid of cabbage caterpillars?

Caterpillars can be placed in a pail of water with a few drops of detergent to drown. There are a number of natural enemies that feed on these caterpillars. Parasitic wasps and tachinid flies lay eggs inside the caterpillar that develop and cause the caterpillar’s demise as they use it for a source of food.

How often do zebra caterpillars feed on cabbage?

Young zebra caterpillars like to feed in a group, skeletonizing the lower leaf surface. As they larvae get older, they spread out and feed individually on leaves and flowers. There are normally two generations per year.