Cabbage Looper
The Cabbage Looper (Trichoplusia ni) is a type of inchworm/measuring worm in the Noctuidae family (most inchworms or loopers are in the Geometridae family but this one is an exception). It has a voracious appetite and so consumes a lot of leaves of not just cole crops (cruciferous vegetables including broccoli and cabbage), but also the leaves of tomato, cucumber, potato, lettuce, pepper, and others. Visit the Florida fact sheet below for more information, including a list of additional host plants. The moth is brown in color and is nocturnal.
Additional Information:
- Cabbage Looper (University of Florida) (includes photos)
- Cabbage Looper (BugGuide.net) (includes photos)
- See also: High-quality moth photo at Wikipedia