6.04.2010

hungry hungry caterpillar

I've been finding big holes in the leaves of all sorts of vegetables and perennials that I'm watering at the greenhouse.  Today I finally found one of the culprits - a lime green caterpillar called a cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni) which I had suspected from seeing the brown adult moths.  These little buggers (pun intended) have been chewing holes in the eggplant and peppers mostly - not just cabbage as the name implies.  They are known as loopers because of the loop their body makes as they inch along inchworm style - and they  consume three times their weight in plant material daily!! (McEwen and Hervey 1960) 

1 comment:

  1. Katie, I really like your photos and the "mounting" method you use. Really nice work!

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