1. Insect
  2. Vegetable Crops
  3. Vegetable Crops
  4. Hosts and Pests of Vegetable Crops

Lettuce-Looper

  • Facebook logo
Image related to Lettuce-Looper
Cabbage looper
Trichoplusia ni Hubner
Showing damage
© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection
Image related to Lettuce-Looper
Alfalfa looper
Autographa californica Speyer
Showing damage on leaves
© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection
Image related to Lettuce-Looper
Cabbage looper
Trichoplusia ni Hubner
Adult
© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection
Image related to Lettuce-Looper
Alfalfa looper
Autographa californica Speyer
Egg(s) on host
© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection
Image related to Lettuce-Looper
Alfalfa looper
Autographa californica Speyer
Parasitized immature
© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection
Image related to Lettuce-Looper
Cabbage looper
Trichoplusia ni Hubner
Egg(s) on host
© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection
Image related to Lettuce-Looper
Cabbage looper
Trichoplusia ni Hubner
Immature
© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection
Image related to Lettuce-Looper
Alfalfa looper
Autographa californica Speyer
Adult
© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection

Includes

Alfalfa looper (Autographa californica)
Cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni)

Pest description, crop damage and life history

See:

Common Pests of Vegetable Crops

Management-biological control

Loopers have many natural enemies that keep damage to a minimum if they are not killed by insecticide applications. These include naturally occurring parasites and virus diseases.

Management-cultural control

Rotate plantings, and harvest without delay at the end of the season. Remove plant debris from the field at the end of harvest.

Management-chemical control: HOME USE

  • azadirachtin (neem oil)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • bifenthrin (often as a mix with zeta-cypermethrin).
  • carbaryl
  • cyfluthrin
  • gamma-cyhalothrin
  • horticultural oil-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • kaolin-When applied as a spray to foliage and stems it acts as a repellent to some insect pests. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • permethrin
  • plant essential oils (rosemary, etc.)-Some have demonstrated efficacy against lepidopteran larvae. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • pyrethrins-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • spinosad-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • zeta-cypermethrin

Management-chemical control: COMMERCIAL USE

  • alpha-cypermethrin (Fastac EC) at 0.020 to 0.025 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.075 lb ai/a per season.
  • acephate (Acephate 90WDG) at 1 lb ai/a. PHI 21 days. REI 24 hr. Head lettuce only. Retreatment interval 7 days. Limit 5 treatments per year. Do not exceed 2 lb ai per season. Do not graze or feed treated plants.
  • azadirachtin (Neemix 4.5) at 0.18 to 0.25 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • Bacillus thuringiensis (Javelin) at 0.12 to 1.5 lb/a. PHI 0 days. Use a spreader-sticker to enhance control. Bt may be combined with malathion for both worm and aphid control. Check the label for registered uses of the new, improved strains of Bt (Javelin). Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • beta-cyfluthrin (Baythroid XL) at 0.013 to 0.019 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.1 lb ai/a per season. Retreatment interval 7 days.
  • beta-cyfluthrin/imidacloprid (Leverage 360) at 0.07 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.1 lb ai/a beta-cyfluthrin or 0.2 lb ai/a imidacloprid per season.
  • bifenthrin (Brigade 2EC) at 0.033 to 0.1 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Head lettuce only. Do not exceed 0.5 lb ai/a per season. Retreatment interval 7 days.
  • bifenthrin/avermectin (Athena) at 0.048 to 0.116 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Head lettuce only. Do not exceed 0.056 lb ai/a avermectin or 0.5 lb ai/a bifenthrin per season.
  • bifenthrin/imidacloprid (Brigadier) at 0.08 to 0.095 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.24 lb ai/a imidacloprid and 0.5 lb ai/a bifenthrin. Retreatment interval 7 days.
  • bifenthrin/zeta-cypermethrin (Hero EW) at 0.04 to 0.1 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.45 lb ai/a per season. Head lettuce only.
  • chlorantraniliprole (Coragen) at 0.045 to 0.065 lb ai/a soil or foliar. PHI 1 day. REI 4 hr. Do not exceed 0.2 lb ai/a Coragen or 0.8 lb ai/a chlorantraniliprole per season. Retreatment intervals 3 days foliar, 10 days drip chemigation. Limit 4 treatments.
  • chlorantraniliprole/thiamethoxam (Voliam Flexi) at 0.1 to 0.172 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.172 lb ai of thiamethoxam or 0.2 lb ai of chlorantraniliprole per acre per growing season.
  • cyantraniliprole (Exirel) at 0.065 to 0.11 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.4 lb ai/a per year.
  • cyclaniliprole (Harvanta 50SL) at 0.036 to 0.054 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 4 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.22 lb ai/a per year.
  • cyfluthrin (Tombstone) at 0.025 to 0.038 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.2 lb ai/a per season. Retreatment interval 7 days.
  • cypermethrin (Holster) at 0.075 to 0.1 lb ai/a. PHI 5 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Head lettuce only. Do not exceed 0.5 lb ai/a per season.
  • emamectin benzoate (Proclaim) at 0.01 to 0.015 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.09 lb ai/a per season. Do not graze.
  • gamma-cyhalothrin (Declare) at 0.0075 to 0.0125 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 24 hr. Do not exceed 0.15 lb ai/a per season. An oil or nonionic surfactant improves performance.
  • GS-omega/kappa-Hxtx-Hv1a (Spear Lep) at 0.8 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. Do not exceed 2 lb ai/a per year.
  • indoxacarb (Avaunt) at 0.045 to 0.065 lb ai/a. PHI 3 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 3 days. Using wetting agent is recommended. Do not exceed 0.044 lb ai/a per season.
  • lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior II) at 0.015 to 0.025 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 24 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.3 lb ai/a per season.
  • malathion (Fyfanon 8E) at 1.88 lb ai/a. PHI 14 days. REI 24 hr. Retreatment interval head lettuce 6 days, leaf lettuce 5 days. Limit 2 treatments per year.
  • methomyl (Lannate SP) at 0.25 to 0.9 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days at low rate; 10 days at high rate. REI 48 hr. Retreatment interval 2 days. Do not exceed 3.6 lb ai/a on leaf or 7.2 lb ai/a on head lettuce per season.
  • methoxyfenozide (Intrepid 2F) at 0.06 to 0.12 lb ai/a early-season and 0.12 to 0.16 lb ai/a mid- to late-season. PHI 1 day. REI 4 hr. Do not exceed 1 lb ai/a per season.
  • permethrin (Loveland Permethrin) at 0.05 to 0.2 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.8 lb ai/a per season. Do not feed refuse to livestock.
  • spinetoram (Radiant SC) at 0.039 to 0.078 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 4 hr. Retreatment interval 4 days. Do not exceed six applications or 0.266 lb ai/a per season. Do not apply to seedling leafy vegetables grown for transplant within a greenhouse, shade house, or field plot. Cabbage looper only.
  • spinosad (Success) at 0.05 to 0.09 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 4 hr. Do not exceed six applications or 0.45 lb ai/a per crop. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • tebufenozide (Confirm 2F) at 0.09 to 0.12 lb ai/a early-year and 0.12 lb ai/a mid- to late-year per application. PHI 7 days. REI 4 hr. Do not exceed 0.12 lb ai/a per application or 0.625 lb ai/a per season. Reapplication on a 10- to 14-day schedule may be necessary for heavy infestations.
  • thiamethoxam/chlorantraniliprole (Durivo) at 0.195 to 0.257 lb ai/a soil. PHI 30 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.257 lb ai/a per season.
  • zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang) at 0.04 to 0.05 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.3 lb ai/a per season.