Cabbage looper

Cabbage looper moth

Cabbage plusia

Common cabbage looper

Lettuce looper

Fields and gardens. Adult moths are nocturnal and attracted to light.

The cabbage looper can be found throughout the world where crucifers are cultivated. In colder climates, moths will migrate to warmer climates to overwinter.

The cabbage looper feeds on many cultivated plants and weeds. In particular, it readily damages crucifers, such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, radish and rutabaga. However, damage from the larval instars has been report in other crops, such as beet, cantaloupe, celery, cucumber, lima bean, lettuce, parsnip, pea, pepper, potato, snap bean, spinach, squash, sweet potato, tomato, and watermelon. Additional hosts are flower crops such as chrysanthemum, hollyhock, snapdragon, and sweetpea, and field crops such as cotton and tobacco, as well as common agricultural weeds, such as lambsquarters, wild lettuce, dandelion, and culy dock.

Adults feed on the nectar from many flowers, include clover, sunflower, goldenrod and dogbane.