Insect · GBIF taxon 1786360
Trichoplusia ni
trichoplusia niAlso known as Cabbage Looper Moth, Ni Moth
Cabbage looper larvae walk with a distinctive arching motion because they lack middle prolegs. Adult moths are active at night and bear dark mottled forewings accented by a small silver figure-eight mark. These insects are famous agricultural pests whose caterpillars chew large ragged holes through crop leaves.
NocturnalAgricultural PestCaterpillar
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Lettuce
Predators
- Insectivorous birds
- Bats
- Parasitic wasps
ThreatsAgricultural insecticides, parasitic wasps, viral diseases, and bird predation.
HabitatsVegetable gardens, croplands, pastures, and disturbed weed patches.
Life span30 to 40 days from egg to adult.
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyNoctuidae
- GenusTrichoplusia
- Speciestrichoplusia ni
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Garden Check: Inspect the undersides of brassica leaves for pale green caterpillars.
- Night Light: Look near porch lights or light traps after dusk to observe adult moths.
Competitor John Tann from Sydney, Australia / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Co-occurring Pest (c) Bernie Paquette, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bernie Paquette · cc-by
Competitor no rights reserved · cc0
Close Relative
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Species set
Moonlight Marvels
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