What is eating my Napa Cabbage - Ask Extension
Something is eating my Napa cabbage, I think at night. The plants are covered with crop floating cover, I don’t see a slime trail, I have beer traps...
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What is eating my Napa Cabbage #862996
Asked April 01, 2024, 12:12 PM EDT
Something is eating my Napa cabbage, I think at night. The plants are covered with crop floating cover, I don’t see a slime trail, I have beer traps but no slugs. There are multiple ground spider webs.
Baltimore City County Maryland
Expert Response
Hello; Thanks for submitting your garden and landscaping questions to the University of Maryland Ask Extension Service.
Please see this Extension webpage on pests of cabbage https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-cabbage-home-garden/. Looking closely at your photos, I can see frass (insect poop) black dots on one or more cabbage leaves. At this time of year slugs and cabbageworm larvae from the cabbage white butterfly are likely culprits causing physical damage to your cabbage leaves. Somehow the white cabbage butterfly got to your crop and laid eggs when your cabbages weren't protected by your floating row cover fabric. Spend time looking closely to spot those pesky green caterpillars. There may be more than one caterpillar to find.
Try using scissors to snip away and remove damaged cabbage foliage. This will make it easier to find caterpillars from any new damage that occurs and do your inspections in the morning. And continue using slug baits to capture/deter any slugs that may be passing through.
Good luck in your gardening efforts. Thanks; Christopher
Please see this Extension webpage on pests of cabbage https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-cabbage-home-garden/. Looking closely at your photos, I can see frass (insect poop) black dots on one or more cabbage leaves. At this time of year slugs and cabbageworm larvae from the cabbage white butterfly are likely culprits causing physical damage to your cabbage leaves. Somehow the white cabbage butterfly got to your crop and laid eggs when your cabbages weren't protected by your floating row cover fabric. Spend time looking closely to spot those pesky green caterpillars. There may be more than one caterpillar to find.
Try using scissors to snip away and remove damaged cabbage foliage. This will make it easier to find caterpillars from any new damage that occurs and do your inspections in the morning. And continue using slug baits to capture/deter any slugs that may be passing through.
Good luck in your gardening efforts. Thanks; Christopher
