Cutworms

Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae
Species:
Redbacked cutworm (Euxoa ochrogaster)
Spotted cutworm (Amathes c-nigrum)
Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia)

Pests as larva

Appearance

Adult

• Dark, drab moths
• 1-2 inch wing span

Larvae

• Smooth-skinned, greasy gray-brown with darker longitudinal lines and spots
• Up to 1 1/2-inches long
• Curls into a "C" when disturbed

Host plants

• Garden flowers, vegetables, berries and fruit

Symptoms

• Surface cutworms: sever tender seedlings at soil surface
• Climbing cutworms: defoliation that occurs at night with the worst damage in the spring

Biology

• Eggs and larvae overwinter on garden trash and weedy grasses
• Several generations per year

Control Options

Physical

• Hand pick at night with a flashlight (hide during the day)
• Larval habitat traps
• Transplant collars and hot caps

Cultural

• Destroy overwintering sites via cultivation, composting and weeding

Biocontrol

• Conserve native predatory and parasitic insects

Pesticides

• Check the Database of Pesticides Registered in Idaho (Kelly Database) for pesticides registered in Idaho