Several pesticides are registered to be sprayed on young plants. Chemical Control - Use a cutworm bait and sprinkle around the base of susceptible plants, when they are young (tender).Place the collar around the plant stem, making sure it extends at least an inch down into the soil and two inches above soil level. Since adult female moths lay their eggs in fall, removing weeds and mowing the grass close to the ground will help prevent cutworm infestations.Ī protective collar made of plastic, sturdy cardboard, cut-up drink bottles, milk cartons, toilet paper rolls, etc., can protect transplants against cutworms. Handpick any cutworms you find and squash them or drown them in a bucket of soapy water. Take a flashlight at night to search the base of the freshly cut plants and the top layer of soil for cutworms. Monitoring and Cultural Practices - To determine if cutworms are present, look for signs of freshly cut plants.

Surface cutworms cause the most damage in New Hampshire gardens and landscapes, chewing the stems of newly-emerged seedlings and transplants in early to late spring. Most species of cutworms take shelter in the soil by day and come out to feed at night. Depending on the species, the eggs will hatch in a few days to two weeks. Most species lay their eggs on the stems of grasses and weeds, though some lay eggs on bare ground. The larvae begin feeding in early spring and continue growing until early summer, when they pupate in the soil, emerging as moths one to eight weeks later.

Most species of cutworms overwinter in the soil or under vegetative debris as partly-grown or full-grown larvae. A disturbed cutworm will curl up into a tight ball. Full-grown larvae are 1-2' long, soft, plump, hairless caterpillars whose color and markings vary from dingy white to tan, brown, charcoal gray or black, depending on species. Only the larvae damage plants adult moths feed off the nectar of wild and cultivated flowers. The adults of all cutworm species are night-flying moths with wingspans from 1.5 to 3'.

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