What Netting size holes should you use to keep cabbage white butterflies out?

[Dynamite]

I have some netting already and wanted to use it to go over some raised beds to keep cabbage white butterflies off my cabbage and cauliflowers as they were decimated last year and I ended up giving up on them.

I’m going to build a simple framework on my raised bed and then put the net over that.

However, my net holes are about 5mm square and I’m wondering if that is small enough. I’m not a Lepidopterist and I have never covered any of my crops really so not sure.

Help and advice is much appreciated.

Kind Regards.............Rob

[Mr Bones]

5mm mesh is small enough most of the time for cabbage whites but make sure the veg doesn't grow large enough to touch the net or they'll lay through it from the outside. I have witnessed a CW pull itself through the knitted type net of this size; pulled so hard it crumpled its wings to get through and could still fly afterwards.

[Mr Bones]

Meant to say also, we have a brassica cage covered with 5mm mesh and it works a treat.

[Penellype]

5mm mesh is small enough most of the time for cabbage whites but make sure the veg doesn't grow large enough to touch the net or they'll lay through it from the outside. I have witnessed a CW pull itself through the knitted type net of this size; pulled so hard it crumpled its wings to get through and could still fly afterwards.

I agree you need the stiffer sort of mesh or the enviromesh/scaffolding net type, as I have also seen cabbage whites fold their wings to get through standard "butterfly" net.

[Dynamite]

Well it’s going to be going over the cabbages and calabrese shortly so fingers crossed.

Kind Regards.............Rob