Loopers in celery and cabbage Beth Bishop, Walter Pett, Entomology Loopers are reported in both celery and cabbage. Loopers are so named because of the way they move. They have fewer legs than most caterpillars, and move by bringing their hind end up to their head, creating a loop in the middle. Both cabbage looper and celery looper are pests of celery. They damage celery by feeding on the petioles and foliage, and their pupal cases can be a contaminant at harvest.
Young larvae feed higher in the plant, and thus are easier to control than larger larvae.
Celery less than four weeks from harvest should be treated preventatively to control loopers. If celery is more than four weeks from harvest, treat if there are more than two loopers per plant. Insecticides used to control loopers are also effective against variegated cutworms. Cabbage loopers can be found on a variety of cole crops. Cabbage loopers do not overwinter in Michigan.