Description:

• The caterpillar is velvety green in colour. The adult butterfly is white with black distal margins on the forewings.
• The pest is generally active from October to April in plains.

Damage Symptoms:

• Young caterpillars feed gregariously and skeletonize leaves.
• As they grow, the caterpillars disperse and move to adjacent plants or fields.
• They bore into cabbage heads.
• In cases of severe infestation, plants may be completely defoliated, resulting in heavy yield losses.

Preventive Measures:

• Collect and destroy egg masses.
• Spray neem seed kernel extract at 5%.

Control Measures:

• Spray malathion at 0.05% or cypermethrin at 0.01%.