14 Effective Ways to Kill Cabbage Worms and Cabbage Loopers

Co-authored by Artemisia Nursery and Sophia Latorre

Last Updated: May 4, 2024 Fact Checked

You head out to your garden to gather some cabbage for a meal and notice tons of holes in your plants. We know just how frustrating it is when cabbage worms eat their way through your brassica crops, and we’re here to help. Whether you’re dealing with white butterfly larvae, cabbage loopers, zebra caterpillars, or diamondback moth larvae, we’ve got you covered. Read on for the best ways to get rid of cabbage worms safely and effectively so you can get back to enjoying the fruits of your labor.

Things You Should Know

Pick the cabbage worms off by hand and put them in a pail of soapy water. Alternatively, spray soapy water on your cabbage plants.
Use Bt , diatomaceous earth , or neem oil for natural pest control.
Plant red or purple cabbage alongside companion plants like dill , sage , rosemary , peppermint , and chamomile to deter cabbage worms.
Protect your next crop with floating row covers and decoy moths .

1

Pick the worms off by hand.

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Manual removal is best for small infestations. Slip on some gardening gloves and pluck the worms from your plants. Drop them into a bucket of soapy water to kill them. ^{[1]
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- Cabbage loopers and diamondback moth larvae are light green, while cross- or zebra-striped cabbage worms have black and white stripes along their backs. ^{[2]
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- Most cabbage pests lay eggs on the underside of the leaves, so be sure to remove those as well! ^{[3]
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2

Spray soapy water on your cabbage.

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The enzymes in soap kill cabbage worms and eggs. Mix 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of dish soap into 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water. Transfer the mixture to a spray bottle and liberally spritz any plants infested with cabbage worms. Be sure to spray the underside of the leaves to get all the worms and their eggs. Reapply the mixture every few days until you’ve eradicated all of the pests. ^{[4]
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- Add 1 cup (240 mL) of vinegar to your soap and water solution for stubborn infestations.

3

Spread cornmeal on your plants.

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Water your cabbage so the powder will stick to it. Then, grab some cornmeal or rye flour and spread it all over your cabbage crops for a safe, natural eradication method. ^{[5]
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4

Treat your plants with Bt.

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Bt is a bacteria that will kill caterpillars. Bt is naturally found in soil and is safe to use even on organic crops all the way up until harvest. Apply Bt in the evening to seedlings or well-established plants. ^{[6]
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- Note that Bt will kill all butterfly larvae, not just cabbage worms.

5

Sprinkle diatomaceous earth (DE) on your cabbage.

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DE is made from fossilized remains of aquatic organisms. When pests like cabbage worms come in contact with it, they dry out and die. ^{[7]
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Trustworthy Source
National Pesticide Information Center
Organization run by Oregon State University providing objective, science-based information about pests and pesticides
Go to source} Spread DE over your infested crops to get rid of the worms.

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6

Use Neem oil.

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Neem oil is an insecticidal soap that will kill worms. Neem oil works by suffocating the worms, but is pollinator-friendly. Apply neem oil to your infected plants when temperatures are below 90 °F (32 °C) to prevent damage to your cabbage. ^{[8]
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- Apply insecticidal soaps like Neem oil regularly to fully eradicate the worms. ^{[9]
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7

Spray spinosad on your cabbage.

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Use the Entrust SC formulation of spinosad for organic crops. Apply it to your cabbage plants as per the instructions on the package. It’s safe to use on seedlings as well as established plants right up until you harvest. ^{[10]
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8

Introduce cabbage worm predators.

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Attract ladybirds to eat the worms. Natural predators of cabbage worms include ladybird beetles, ladybird hawkmoths, and ladybird hoverflies. Head to your local garden center to get these ladybird species and let them loose in your garden to eat the worms that are destroying your crops. ^{[11]
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- Parasitic wasps and yellowjackets will also eat cabbage worms, as will house sparrows, skylarks, and goldfinch skylarks. Provide water and nesting spots to attract birds and pollinators to your garden. ^{[12]
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9

Put decoy moths in your garden.

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Decoy moths can deter caterpillars from making your garden their home. Hang decoy moths over your cole crops like cabbage to prevent real moths from laying their eggs in your plants. Supposedly, cabbage worms will steer clear of areas where other moths are already established. ^{[13]
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- While not scientifically proven to eradicate cabbage worms, this is an easy option that some home gardeners swear by.
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10

Use row covers.

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Row covers protect your plants from all kinds of pests. Choose floating row covers made of lightweight all-purpose garden fabric. As soon as you plant your seedlings or transplants next season, install the row covers directly over the plants or on hoops or frames . Once you harvest your cabbage, remove the covers. ^{[14]
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- To avoid trapping any cabbage worms inside the covers, you’d have to remove every last worm and egg from your plants, so this is best used for your next cabbage crop.

11

Grow red and purple cabbage.

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Green cabbage provides better camouflage for caterpillars, so planting red or purple cabbage may discourage these pests from infiltrating your garden. Plus, purple and red cabbage contain the antioxidant flavonoid anthocyanin, which may be mildly toxic to caterpillars. ^{[15]
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12

Plant trap crops.

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Trap crops lure the worms away from your cabbage. Plant cole crops that cabbage loopers and caterpillars like, including collards , kale , and mustard greens in your garden with the express purpose of feeding the worms. With a little luck, the loopers and caterpillars will go for these crops instead of the cabbage you plan to eat and harvest. ^{[16]
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- For best results, plant trap crops in addition to trying the other eradication methods we’ve outlined.

13

Do companion planting next season.

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Plant dill , sage , rosemary , peppermint , and chamomile . These plants can discourage cabbage worms from making their home in your garden. Avoid nightshade plants like tomatoes and peppers, which might attract more caterpillars. ^{[17]
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- Also, avoid planting large blocks of a single crop. Plant small plots of lots of different things together to slow down pest progress.
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14

Clean up your garden in the fall.

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Cabbage worms overwinter in leaf litter. Till your soil and clean up fallen leaves and other debris to encourage the pests to find a new home, hopefully preventing them from infesting your next crop. ^{[18]
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Avoid spraying insecticides on open flowers that bees are actively feeding on to preserve the honeybee population. ^{[19]
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Chickens and ducks will also eat cabbage worms, but may end up eating your plants as well.

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