Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds

Cabbage cluster caterpillar (LCM) (078)


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Summary

  • Widespread distribution. Asia, Africa, Oceania. On members of the brassica family - broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, mustard and radish.
  • Egg masses yellow. Young larvae feed together often on the 'head'. Larger larvae with long hairs, yellow lines along the back and brown heads.
  • Larvae feed under silk webbing at the plant centre.
  • Cultural control: inspect nurseries and crops frequently: remove egg masses and/or larvae; plant far from old crops; trap crops, e.g., mustards or Chinese cabbage (Bok Choy), but destroy trap crop before insects hatch.
  • Chemical control: in household plots, PDPs to safeguard natural enemies (chillies, neem, derris, pyrethrum); in commercial plots, grow under nets; use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) sprays against caterpillars when young.

Common Name

 Cabbage cluster caterpillar, large cabbage moth (LCM), large cabbage-heart caterpillar

Scientific Name

Crocidolomia pavonana; previously, known as Crocidolomia binotalis. It is a moth of the Crambidae.


AUTHORS Helen Tsatsia & Grahame Jackson
Information from CABI (2014) Crocidolomia pavonana (large cabbage-heart caterpillar). Crop Protection Compendium: (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/16126); and Herbison-Evans D (2017) Crocidolomia pavonana (Fabricius, 1794. Butterfly House. Australia.(http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/ever/pavonana.html); and from Mike Furlong (pers. comm.), University of Queensland, Australia. Photo 2 Department of Agriculture and Food, Government of Western Australia. (https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/cabbage/cabbage-head-caterpillar-cabbage-pest-indonesia). Photo 3 Mani Mua SPC, Sigatoka Research Station, Fiji.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community

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