Bug FAQCabbage Bug
Eurydema oleracea · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Pentatomidae
Also called: Brassica Bug, Crucifer Shield Bug, Rape Bug
Source: Wikipedia
The cabbage bug is a flat, shiny shield bug about 5 to 7 mm long and 4 mm wide, with a dark base colour marked with red, yellow, cream, white or orange spots and stripes. Adults and nymphs feed on many cruciferous crops, especially the flowering parts, and can cause noticeable damage to cabbage, radish, turnip, rutabaga, horseradish and rape. They overwinter as adults in leaf litter, emerge in late spring, and produce one generation in the north and two in the south.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
It is about 5 to 7 mm long and 4 mm wide, with a flat, shiny body.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Control methods include rotating crops, destroying cruciferous weeds, and applying insecticides.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Adults hibernate in leaf debris at woodland edges or in bushes, while both adults and nymphs are found openly on plants.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Both adults and nymphs feed on many cruciferous plants, mainly targeting the flowering parts.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species overwinters as adults and emerges in late spring. One generation is produced in the northern part of its range, while two generations occur in the south.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults overwinter in leaf debris and become active in late spring.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is widely distributed across the eastern Palearctic region. It also occurs throughout western Europe (except northern Scandinavia), Kazakhstan, most of Russia, mountainous central and western Asia, and North Africa.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
How can I control cabbage bugs?
Use crop rotation, remove cruciferous weeds, and consider insecticide treatments.
Source: Wikipedia
When do cabbage bugs become active?
Adults emerge from overwintering in leaf litter in late spring.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I recognize a cabbage bug?
Look for a flat, shiny shield bug about 5 to 7 mm long with dark colour and red, yellow, cream, white or orange spots and stripes on the body.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Pentatomidae)
Brown Marmorated Stink BugHalyomorpha halysDamages trees, gardens or crops
Green Stink BugChinavia hilarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Harlequin BugMurgantia histrionicaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown Stink BugEuschistus servusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Green Shield BugPalomena prasina
European Striped Shield BugGraphosoma italicumSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurydema_oleracea
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.