Hi Frances and thanks for your question and beautiful picture of a jewel beetle. Appropriate name, don't you think! There are more than 150 species of this beetle in the northwest and they don't usually harm vegetables. The cabbage problems are most likely slugs (look for slime trails) or the larvae of Cabbage White butterflies (look for little green "worms").

While straw is an excellent mulch for plants, it is also a great hiding place for slugs. A beer trough for them to fall in or some slug bait would help here. As they are only taking the bottom leaves, you can also just ignore them and harvest the heads.

If it is the little green larvae problem, you will either need to hand pick them off or find a Bt spray meant for crucifers (cabbage, broccoli, kale and cauliflower). Go out after dark with a flashlight and see what you can find as most pests work better in the dark.

The beetle looks like it might just be getting a drink off the broccoli stem. Lucky you to get such a great picture!

Thank you! That’s the first time I’ve seen a jewel bug. OK, I will put out some beer traps. I really haven’t had a problem with slugs this year since it’s been so dry. Cabbage mods used to be my Achilles heel but now I have all my Brassica growing under netting and I have no issues! They hardly even come around anymore. They must be at somebody else’s house.My only real problem is Symphylan, learning to live with it. Thanks again!