Controlling bollworm in cabbage: he who hesitates is lost!

When this pest burrows into a cabbage plant, eradicating it becomes far more difficult and costly. So don’t delay

- Bill Kerr

South African farmers often talk about having problems with the American bollworm here, but this is incorrect; our local species is the African bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera). The juvenile has raised black markings that sprout hairs, and the adult, which is about 40mm long, has a characteristic light band and thinner, dark stripes running longitudinally down each side.

H. armigera is a sporadic pest active in summer in cool areas and also in winter in subtropical areas. Moths often emerge in flushes, especially after winter in cold areas. These sudden emergences can catch you unawares, and you should remain on the lookout for them.

Bollworm is a highly destructive pest that can cause damage quickly; a single bollworm caterpillar can render a cabbage head unmarketable.