- smokensqueal
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Cabbage worms?
I'm finding these little green worms on my cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. It almost ate all of my one cabbage plant before I found them. Some are very small others are a bit bigger. I've been picking them and smashing them. But there are SO many. Is there some other way I can help prevent them or stop them? Any ideas to help control this beast?
- applestar
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I have my kids catch the white butterflies
I also check under the leaves for the little yellow eggs and rub them off or smush them (my 7 yr old likes doing that too -- it's like a treasure hunt
) The correct way to avoid them is to put floating covers on them early on since these don't need pollinators. But I keep wondering if it doesn't get hotter inside the covering. I think to avoid overheating, I would then have to put up a shade cloth
I've also heard that you could put pantyhose on them. In my case, the other problem is that I've interplanted everything so I can't easily isolate the cole crops.
About the egg destroying -- I feel oddly conflicted whenever I do this because in the summer time, I collect Monarch butterfly eggs to raise. Then, I feel elated every time I find the precious eggs!



About the egg destroying -- I feel oddly conflicted whenever I do this because in the summer time, I collect Monarch butterfly eggs to raise. Then, I feel elated every time I find the precious eggs!
- smokensqueal
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Thanks Applestar. I think I'll just keep doing what I've been doing. I may try and individual cover or something next year. This year I'll just deal with it since they are already here. I haven't found may of the little eggs but when I find them I smash them also.
Do you know if bird or something else eat the little worms? I've seen a lot in my garden the last week or so.
Do you know if bird or something else eat the little worms? I've seen a lot in my garden the last week or so.
- applestar
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In my garden, wasps are always inspecting the cabbages. They also inspect the romaine lettuce (I'm not sure if they are just making sure
) Yellow Jackets also feed their young with caterpillars. I'm sure birds would eat them too, but I don't see them that often among the cole crops, though that *may* be what the song sparrows are doing -- I've often wondered why they are in there.

- !potatoes!
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- applestar
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- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)


My DD7 insisted on raising a couple. One pupated and eclosed from the chrysalis after a few days. I had to let her release it.


So I forgot to mention *those* tiny beneficial parasitic wasps. They look a bit like winged green aphids, except they're black and have long antennae. I wish I knew what they're called -- I thought they were trichogramma, but the Google images don't match the ones I saw.

Edited to add: OK They looked more like braconids but these didn't start out with the classic pupae-on-cat's-back. They came from inside the cat.