![]() Black cutworms will do most of their damage at night, and then bury themselves in the soil during the day. Larger larvae may notch the stems of corn plants below the soil surface causing them to wilt and die, or they can completely cut through stalks causing major stand reductions. Black cutworm larvae require around 300 GDD after moth flight to reach a size large enough to cut plants. This early feeding does little to affect yield of young plants, but it’s an indicator of the potential for severe damage in the future. Newly hatched larvae feed on weeds and/or young corn plants leaving small irregular holes in leaves. These fields are the highest risk and should be the first focus of scouting.īlack cutworms require about 90 growing degree days (GDD) to accumulate for egg hatch. This makes fields with cover crops and no-till fields with heavy weed growth most susceptible. ![]() The moths are most attracted to, and will lay their eggs, in early spring vegetation. The time and area in which cutworms will be most prevalent varies from year to year, but they typically arrive in the Midwest late March through June. ![]() Black cutworm moths move up from the south with springtime winds and storms. Depending on the size of corn plants, one black cutworm larva can cut up to five corn plants in its lifetime. There are several species of cutworm that feed on corn in the Midwest, but the black cutworm is most common. If you click on each county, you will get an estimated cut date that you should target to begin scouting. You can go to the Corn ipmPIPE website, which is a collaboration of land-grant universities, and see an updated interactive map. Large moth captures don’t necessarily mean damage is imminent, but should alert growers to begin scouting three to four weeks after the capture. The map below displays the counties in red that have experienced a significant moth capture. Universities have established insect monitoring networks in their respective states to monitor moth flights and predict when damage may occur. The moths themselves don’t cause economic damage, but the eggs they deposit eventually hatch into larvae which can cause significant damage by feeding on young corn plants. They don’t overwinter in the Corn Belt, but the moths are carried north each spring by southerly winds. Black cutworm and true armyworm are sporadic pests in the Midwest. ![]()
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