Moths of North Carolina
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Sole representative of Plutellidae in NC
268 NC Records

Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) - Diamondback Moth

Plutella xylostellaPlutella xylostellaPlutella xylostellaPlutella xylostella
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Yponomeutoidea		 Family:
Plutellidae		Subfamily:
[Plutellinae]		Tribe:
[Plutellini]		P3 Number:
36a0180		 MONA Number:
2366.00		 Other Common Names:
Cabbage Moth, Lesser Cabbage Moth
Species Status: The Diamondback Moth is an introduced species in North America that specializes on members of the mustard family (Brassicaceae). It is uncertain which area of the world it is native to (perhaps China or South Africa; Sarfraz et al., 2005), but it now occurs worldwide where cruciferous crops are grown and is a major agricultural pest in many areas of the world.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Immature Stages: Harcourt 1957                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Plutella xylostella is a small, slender, grayish-brown moth with a stout, banded antenna that project forward and an upturned terminal fringe. The forewing ground has various shades of reddish-brown to brownish-tan coloration with darker specks, and has a broad, wavy, cream or light brown band along the inner margin. The labial palps are dark brown and project forward, and the head and thorax are tawny colored. The legs are fuscous with tan annuli on the tarsi. The dorsum of the antenna has alternating dark brown with dull-white annulations.
Genitalia and other structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Each female typically lays 200 eggs or more on leaf surfaces of canola, cabbage or other members of the mustard family, with the majority laid on the upper leaf surface. The first instar larvae mine the spongy mesophyll tissues, while the remaining instars are surface feeders and consume the leaves, buds, flowers, and fruits of the host plants. The average duration of larval instars under Canadian field conditions was 4.0, 3.6, 3.4, and 4.2 days for the first through fourth instars, respectively and pupation required 7.8-9.8 days (Harcourt 1957; Sarfraz et al., 2005). Local populations in temperate areas of the world can produce up to four generations per year, while up to 20 are produced in some tropical regions. The adults overwinter and begin producing the first brood with the spring warm-up.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Plutella xylostella is found worldwide where cultivated members of the cabbage family are grown. It occurs throughout the US and in almost all of southern Canada. This species cannot tolerate severe freezing and appears to colonized the northernmost regions of the range, such as Canada, by dispersing northward on southernly winds. The species is found statewide in North Carolina, but is rarely encountered at higher elevations in the Blue Ridge.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Plutella xylostellaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Flight Comments: The adults have been found during every month of the year, as is the case for North Carolina. Populations in North Carolina appear to be multivoltine, with several overlapping generations produced each year.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: This species is an important crop pest that feeds on cabbage and other cultivated Brassicaceae. It is commonly found in croplands and residential areas with vegetable gardens.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae feed primarily on members of the Brassicaceae, including virtually all cultivated species; records also exist from a few other families (Robinson et al., 2010). In North Carolina, Tracy Feldman has reared a larva from Virginia Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found on cabbage, broccoli and other cultivated members of the Brassicaceae.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SNA
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species was introduced from the Old World, but is long-established in North America. Being both an exotic species and as an agricultural pest, it does not have any concerns with regard to its conservation. Experimental approaches to control (or eliminate) populations of this species using release of genetically modified males are currently being conducted and the results should be closely monitored. With the potential to extinguish any targeted species -- which could include native "pest" species -- decisions about applying this technology need to be evaluated by ecologists, conservation organizations, and informed citizen groups in addition to governmental oversight agencies.

 Photo Gallery for Plutella xylostella - Diamondback Moth

 240 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-11-08
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-08-30
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Plutella xylostella
iNaturalist		Recorded by: trevorzook - Trevor Zook on 2025-08-28
Polk Co.
Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/310298923***(c) Trevor Zook, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)| Public Positional Accuracy=28706 m		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-08-26
Wake Co.
Comment:
Plutella xylostella
iNaturalist		Recorded by: sarah_oberlin - Sarah Oberlin on 2025-07-25
Nash Co.
Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/307161461***(c) Sarah Oberlin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)| Public Positional Accuracy=116 m Elevation=132.3 feet		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Sarah Toner on 2025-07-22
Tyrrell Co.
Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/300571801
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-19
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
iNaturalist		Recorded by: alinamartin - Alina Martin on 2025-07-15
Clay Co.
Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/302722270***(c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY)| Public Positional Accuracy=9 m Elevation=1941.7 feet
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-07-12
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
iNaturalist		Recorded by: harrier on 2025-07-04
Hyde Co.
Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/298343232***(c) harrier, some rights reserved (CC BY)| Public Positional Accuracy= ? Elevation=4 feet
Plutella xylostella
iNaturalist		Recorded by: harrier on 2025-07-04
Hyde Co.
Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/298343463***(c) harrier, some rights reserved (CC BY)| Public Positional Accuracy= ? Elevation=3.6 feet		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-07-03
Wake Co.
Comment:
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Larry Chen, Sarah Toner on 2025-06-25
Dare Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-02
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-06-02
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-24
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Brian Bockhahn on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-05-06
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-05-02
Pender Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-05-01
Pender Co.
Comment:
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-04-29
Pender Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-04-28
Pender Co.
Comment:
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-04-27
Pender Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: David George, Bonnie Eamick on 2025-04-25
Wake Co.
Comment:
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-24
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin on 2025-04-14
Bladen Co.
Comment:
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-04-05
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: David George on 2025-04-04
Durham Co.
Comment:
Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2025-04-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Plutella xylostella
Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2025-04-04
Orange Co.
Comment:

Photos of Plutella xylostella from iNaturalist

Plutella xylostella
© larry14 - Larry Beane - 2025-06-22 - Caldwell Co.
iNat record 		Plutella xylostella
© harrier - 2025-07-04 - Hyde Co.
iNat record 		Plutella xylostella
© harrier - 2025-07-04 - Hyde Co.
iNat record 		Plutella xylostella
© alinamartin - Alina Martin - 2025-07-15 - Clay Co.
iNat record
Plutella xylostella
© sarah_oberlin - Sarah Oberlin - 2025-07-25 - Nash Co.
iNat record 		Plutella xylostella
© trevorzook - Trevor Zook - 2025-08-28 - Polk Co.
iNat record 		Plutella xylostella
© erincpow - Erin Powell - 2025-05-16 - Haywood Co.
iNat record