Cabbage Looper vs Light Brown Apple Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cabbage Looper Light Brown Apple Moth
Scientific Name Trichoplusia ni Epiphyas postvittana
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Noctuidae Tortricidae
Size 33-38 mm wingspan 16-25 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Orchards
Diet Omnivores Herbivores
Regions North America, Europe, Asia Australia (native), New Zealand, Europe, North America (invasive)
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Cabbage Looper

A pale green caterpillar that moves in a distinctive looping motion and feeds on brassica crops. The adult moth has a silvery figure-eight marking on each forewing.

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Did You Know?

It was the first insect to develop resistance to the biological insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis in greenhouse settings.

Light Brown Apple Moth

A small variable brown moth native to Australia that has invaded several continents. It feeds on over 500 plant species, making it an exceptionally polyphagous pest.

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Did You Know?

It holds the record for the broadest known host-plant range of any tortricid moth.