Domakihub How to Get Rid of Cabbage White Caterpillars for Good
Protect your brassicas with organic and physical controls that actually work.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
Cabbage white caterpillars are among the most destructive garden pests for anyone growing brassicas — from cabbages and broccoli to kale and rocket — in Greek homes, holiday rentals, or hotel kitchen gardens. The video above shows exactly how infestations look and how to tackle them; this guide breaks the process down into clear, repeatable steps you can follow through the growing season. Acting early and consistently is the difference between a healthy harvest and skeletonised leaves.
What You Are Dealing With
Cabbage white butterflies (Pieris rapae and Pieris brassicae) lay pale yellow eggs in clusters or singly on the undersides of brassica leaves. Within a week those eggs hatch into small green or yellow-striped caterpillars that chew through leaves rapidly, leaving ragged holes and dark frass (droppings) behind. A single plant can host dozens of larvae at various stages simultaneously.
In the warm Greek climate these butterflies are active for an extended season — often from early spring right through to late autumn — meaning several overlapping generations can attack the same planting bed if controls are not maintained.
Why Brassicas Are Vulnerable
Cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, rocket, and radishes all belong to the brassica family and they release glucosinolate compounds that actually attract cabbage white butterflies from a distance. Once a female locates a suitable host plant she can lay hundreds of eggs across a season, so even a small garden plot can sustain a large population of caterpillars with very little effort on the pest's part.
Densely packed or sheltered beds with no companion planting offer the butterflies ideal, undisturbed egg-laying sites. Understanding this vulnerability helps you design defences before the first butterfly appears, rather than reacting after the damage is visible.
5 Steps to Eliminate Cabbage White Caterpillars
- 1
Cover plants with fine mesh netting
Install insect-proof netting (mesh size 1.3 mm or finer) over your brassica bed as soon as seedlings go in the ground. Secure the edges firmly so there are no gaps at soil level. This is the single most effective method because it stops the butterfly landing and laying eggs in the first place. Remove the netting only for brief maintenance and replace it immediately.
- 2
Inspect leaves twice a week and remove eggs
Lift netting or check uncovered plants at least twice a week. Turn leaves over and look for the tiny pale-yellow eggs on the underside — they are about 1 mm tall and ribbed. Wipe them off with a damp cloth or simply crush them. Catching eggs before they hatch eliminates the problem at its cheapest, easiest stage and requires no chemicals at all.
- 3
Hand-pick caterpillars and drop them in soapy water
Despite your best efforts some eggs will hatch. Go out in the early morning when caterpillars are feeding actively and pick them off by hand — wear gloves if preferred. Drop them into a bucket of soapy water to kill them quickly. Check the dense heart of the plant and the underside of every leaf, since young caterpillars are well camouflaged against green tissue.
- 4
Spray with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) for active infestations
When populations are too large for hand-picking, apply an organic Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) spray. Bt is a naturally occurring soil bacterium that kills caterpillars after ingestion but is harmless to humans, bees, and most beneficial insects. Mix according to the label, spray thoroughly on both leaf surfaces in the evening, and repeat every 7-10 days or after rain. It is available at most Greek garden centres and online.
- 5
Use companion planting to deter future butterflies
After the current infestation is under control, interplant your brassicas with strong-smelling herbs such as sage, thyme, rosemary, or dill. Dill in particular attracts parasitic wasps that lay their eggs inside cabbage-white caterpillars, providing ongoing biological control. Nasturtiums can act as a trap crop, drawing butterflies away from your main crop so you can spot and deal with eggs on the sacrificial plants instead.
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FAQ
- Are cabbage white caterpillars harmful to humans or pets?
- No. Cabbage white caterpillars do not sting, bite, or carry toxins that harm humans or animals. They are purely a garden pest. The frass they leave on leaves is harmless but unsightly, and any leaves they have fed on are still edible once washed thoroughly.
- Can I use neem oil instead of Bt spray?
- Yes. Neem oil (diluted to roughly 0.5-1 % in water with a few drops of liquid soap as an emulsifier) disrupts the feeding and moulting of caterpillars and deters egg-laying by adult butterflies. It is less immediately effective than Bt against large caterpillars but works well as a preventative spray applied every 7-14 days from the start of the season. Always spray in the evening to avoid scorching leaves and harming foraging bees.
- How do I stop the butterflies coming back next season?
- Crop rotation is the single most important long-term measure — avoid planting brassicas in the same bed two years running. Remove and compost all brassica debris at the end of the season to eliminate pupae overwintering in the soil. Keep fine netting ready to deploy as soon as seedlings emerge in spring, and establish companion planting before the first butterflies appear. Consistent early-season monitoring means you intercept the first generation of eggs before it produces a large population.