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Home > Garden Pests > Caterpillars, maggots, grubs, and similar immature insects - Larger than 3/4 inch long > Zebra caterpillar START OVER

Zebra caterpillar
Photo Credit: Jeff Hahn, Univ. of MN

Zebra caterpillar
Melanchra picta
Size: Up to 1½ inches long

Where/When: Found on cabbage as well as broccoli, asparagus, spinach, potato, and tomato.  It also attacks flowers, such as aster and hydrangea.  Active in Minnesota during early summer and again in late summer.

Significance: The larvae feed on leaves and can potentially defoliate plants although they are typically not an important problem in gardens.
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