Imported Cabbageworm vs Silky Lacewing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Imported Cabbageworm Silky Lacewing
Scientific Name Pieris rapae Psychopsis illidgei
Order Lepidoptera Neuroptera
Family Pieridae Psychopsidae
Size 45-50 mm wingspan 30-50 mm wingspan
Habitat Gardens Forests
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Worldwide Oceania
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Imported Cabbageworm

A common white butterfly whose velvety green caterpillars are among the most familiar vegetable garden pests. Adults are the small white butterflies frequently seen fluttering over gardens.

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Did You Know?

Despite being called a cabbageworm, it is actually a butterfly caterpillar, not a worm or moth larva.

Silky Lacewing

A beautiful Australian lacewing with large, rounded wings covered in intricate patterns resembling tree bark. It rests with wings flat against surfaces for camouflage.

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Did You Know?

Silky lacewings belong to an ancient family with fossils dating back to the Jurassic period, over 160 million years ago.