Cabbage caterpillars

Symptoms Look for holes of different sizes on the outer leaves of brassicas and on the inner leaves of cabbages. Caterpillars and their excrement can also often be found on the plants. Spot them There are three types of caterpillar to look for. The large cabbage white butterfly and small cabbage white butterfly, and the cabbage moth. All three may be on the plant at the same time, usually mature plants. The white small and cabbage moths are more damaging as they drill into the cabbages, whereas the yellow and black caterpillars of the large white stay mostly on the outer leaves.