PesthighMay–Sep

Large White

Pieris brassicae

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How to spot it

The Large White is the striking white moth whose yellow and black caterpillars can devour cabbage plants down to the leaf veins in a short time. The caterpillars live gregariously, so a single plant can become bare suddenly. The yellow egg clusters and the green and black droppings in the center are telltale signs. Two to three generations occur per year.

Prevention

From the time of planting, cover your cabbage beds with a fine mesh protective net so that the moths do not come to lay eggs at all. Check the undersides of the leaves weekly and crush yellow egg clusters and young caterpillar nests by hand. In cases of heavier infestation, the bio-approved Bacillus thuringiensis helps specifically against young caterpillars, and flowering border strips promote parasitic wasps as natural enemies.