CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES 3 Cabbage borer

                CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES

          3. Cabbage borer Hellula undalis : Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera

•       This is sporadic but occasionally serious and aborts head formation. Caterpillars first mine the leaves later feed on leaves, shoots sheltered within silken passage and finally bore into the stems. They prevent head initiation causing multiple shoots or heads. 
•       Larva: Pale whitish-brown in colour with 4-5 purplish brown longitudinal stripes.
•     Adult: Pale greyish brown suffused with fuscos. Forewings have grey wavy lines, a pale apical spot and pale edged dark lunule; hind wings pale dusky with slight fuscous suffusion on apical area.