I often see cabbage whites messing with my cabbages :-( And, I find and
remove the eggs. How long does it take for a new laid egg to turn into a
brassica munching caterpillar?

Would a thorough weekly inspection by enough?

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

Checking out the net, points to 5-7 days. I've been watching them on mine & so far am up to day 3 with no caterpillars yet.

Day four....still nothing, but noticed clusters of bright orange eggs on underside of Spring Cabbage, so decided to rub them all off, together with the individual white ones deposited by the Cabbage Whites...hope I got them all...don't want to revert to chemicals.