Subject: Cabbage White Caterpillars
Geographic location of the bug: Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California
Time: 04:59 PM EDT
In late December, Daniel noticed that the leaves on the wild mustard that was growing in the garden looked as though he had eaten them, but he knew he did not want to begin eating the leaves on such young plants. When Daniel eats the mustard greens, he generally only picks half the leaf, leaving being the central vein and half a leaf to help the plant gain strength. These Cabbage White Caterpillars seem to have adapted to eating only partial leaves to minimize the damage to the plant, though still rendering the organic leaves unappetizing to many picky eaters. Here is a Cabbage White Caterpillar from BugGuide.