Infestations typically are not uniform within a field, so the loss of a plant stand tends to occur only in parts of a field.Įxtremely dry or wet soil conditions may affect cutworm behavior and the location where they may be found by the grower or scout. They rarely consume the entire plant, but more commonly move to the next plant in the row or to another row. They cut off the stalks of young plants at or just below the soil surface and feed on the buds or leaves. Cutworms commonly coil up in a “c” shape when disturbed.Ĭutworms feed mostly at night and hide during the day under clods of soil or in burrows below the soil surface. When fully grown, cutworms can reach 1-3/4 inches in length. They range in color from gray to dark brown with distinctive stripes and spots. Moths lay eggs singly or in clusters on the leaves of grasses, weeds, other host plants, and sometimes on the bare ground.Ĭutworms are smooth-skinned and somewhat shiny. The hind wings are usually solid in color and lighter than the front wings. The 1-1/2 to 2-inch moths are dull-gray to brown with yellow, gray, light brown, and black designs on the front wings. These night-flying moths are frequently attracted to lights at night. Serious losses are often associated with wet springs that have caused a delay in planting.Ĭutworms are the larvae of moths. Corn can be seriously damaged by cutworms from planting through mid-June while the plants are less than 18 inches tall. While they are potentially very destructive, cutworms are unpredictable, and the chances of significant damage in any given year are relatively low.
Larger stages of cutworms cut entirely through the plant or tunnel into the plants below or above the soil line, whereas small-stage cutworms climb plants and chew small holes in the leaves. They often go unnoticed until after a significant number of plants have been damaged. University of Kentucky College of AgricultureĬutworms are sporadic early-season pests that can reduce plant populations in a field. ENT-59: Cutworm Management in Corn | Download PDF by Ric Bessin, Extension Entomologist
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