Kelly A. Cook (kcook8@uiuc.edu) Susan T. Ratcliffe (sratclif@uiuc.edu) Michael E. Gray (megray@uiuc.edu) Kevin L. Steffey (ksteffey@uiuc.edu). Black cutworm attacks the transplants and seedlings of tomato, corn, bean, and other vegetables during the night and hides in the soil during the day. Black cutworm caterpillars are blackish, thick-bodied, and up to 1 inch long. Females deposit eggs singly or in groups in areas such as low spots in fields, overflow ground, and in other sites traditionally overgrown with grasses or winter annual weeds. Pheromone traps are used to monitor moths flights in the area. The annual black cutworm monitoring program will not be coordinated from ouroffice this season. Black Cutworm Update. The bulk of the spring population, migrates into Illinois from southern states beginning as early as March. The adult moth has brown wings with a 1-1/2 inch wingspan. First captures of black cutworm moths have been reported from "top to bottom" throughout the state of Illinois. The larvae enter the pupal stage, which lasts 12 to 15 days. Fields most at risk to economic injury are in the 1- to 4- leaf stage of plant development. The moths fly northward in the spring, typically arriving in Illinois during late March or April. Black cutworms are numerous on golf-course greens and on some lawns throughout Illinois. Larvae can consume over 400 sq cm of foliage during their development, but over 80% occurs during the terminal instar, and about 10% in the instar immediately preceding the last. Black cutworm outbreak possible Will County experienced an intense level of black cutworm moths captured in the insect traps used to monitor their flight pattern . They are gray with a lighter brownish colored stripe down the back. Use postemergence sprays at the three- to five-leaf stage of sweet corn if 3 percent of the plants are cut and cutworms are still feeding. Southerly winds are currently blowing cutworms into the Midwest. Click on image for larger version Black Cutworm moth, Click on image for larger version Black Cutworm eggs. Black cutworm caterpillars are blackish, thick-bodied, and up to 1 inch long. This is the time of year when calls about black cutworm (BCW) scouting dates start to roll in, especially when Corn Belt states to the east have reported high moth numbers in traps. Find information about black cutworm in Minnesota corn, including their characteristics, habitat, at-risk fields, signs of damage and strategies for managing infestations. Pay particular attention to fields that were planted late or had an early season weed infestation. Editor's note: ... University of Illinois Extension personnel Dale Baird (Lee County) and John Fulton (Logan, Menard, and Sangamon) reported captures of nine or more moths over a one- to two-day period on March 24 and March 30. Significant flights of black cutworm moths were reported in several counties of Illinois during mid-April. Sandhill cutworms feed almost entirely beneath the surface of the soil, so they usually cut the seedlings off below the growing point. Don't be lulled into complacency when using transgenic hybrids this season and assume complete protection against intense populations of black cutworm, said University of Illinois Extension entomologist Mike Gray. Read Black Cutworm Activity Increasing Across Illinois in addition to hundreds of recent farming and agriculture news articles. Cutworm larvae pass through six instars and require 28 to 35 days, depending on temperature, to become mature larvae. A cutworm will often sever a small plant just below the soil surface and pull it under a dirt clod or into a small hole to feed on. Based upon these captures of moths in pheromone traps, projected cutting dates are offered for the following counties: Champaign (May 20), Fayette (May 11), Logan (May 14), Madison (May 11), Pike (May 17), and Warren (May 18). The adult moths can be distinguished on the basis of wing shape and colour but this would require taxonomic expertise. The black cutworm – Agrostis ipsilon Hufnagel (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) – is widely distributed in the temperate regions of the world. How to handle black cutworm. Check fields for leaf-feeding, cutting, wilting, and missing plants. aces.illinois.edu Urbana-Champaign, Illinois (April 1, 2012)--Professor of entomology and crop sciences Extension coordinator Mike Gray urges producers to look for early signs of leaf-feeding injury from black cutworm larvae. Professor of entomology and crop sciences Extension coordinator Mike Gray urges producers to look for early signs of leaf-feeding injury from black cutworm larvae. While these trap counts may not be in Ohio, this is always a good indication of what is to come. The cumulative catch of nine or more moths over a 2-day period is the biofix for the black cutworm. The black cutworm does not generally overwinter in Illinois, except possibly for pupae or mature larvae in southern areas. Agriculture Policy and Leadership in Washington D.C. Farm, Food, and Environmental Policy in California Black cutworm larvae are dark-colored and heavy-bodied. Record-breaking warm temperatures in March persisted into early April, and as a consequence many fields across southern and central Illinois have been planted and are beginning to emerge. These species include the black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), the brown cutworm (Agrotis longidentifera), the common cutworm (Agrotis segetum) and the grey cutworm (Agrotis subalba). Moreover, because relatively few major cutworm outbreaks have occurred in Illinois in the past 10 years, a grower also may find an economic advantage to the wait-and-see system, which involves field scouting rather than a costly pre-plant rescue treatments are the amount of surface moisture and the movement of the cutworms. Black Cutworm. In Illinois and Iowa, a few BCW moths have been caught, but no significant flights have been recorded. A plant cut below the growing point will not recover. The larvae are known as "cutworms" because they cut plants and other crops. Black cutworm overwinters in the extreme southern United States. Variegated Cutworm: The most distinguishing characteristic of the variegated cutworm is the 4 to 7 pale yellow, circular spots on the back of the larva. Insect traps (figure 1) are out around the state and we’ve been capturing both true armyworm and black cutworm moths for over a week. Agrotis ipsilon, the dark sword-grass, black cutworm, greasy cutworm, floodplain cutworm or ipsilon dart, is a small noctuid moth found worldwide. Ron Hines, senior research specialist at the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center in Pope County, reported an intense capture of black cutworm moths during the … As of 04-23-19 Madison and Warren counties in Illinois have reported significant black cutworm moth flights with projected cutting dates of May 10 th and May 21 st respectively. Fields that are planted late are likely to develop pre-plant weed infestations, which serve as ideal locations for egg-laying. The black cutworm does not generally overwinter in Illinois, except possibly for pupae or mature larvae in southern areas. Cold temperatures have little effect on the survival of eggs and larvae. Sporadic flights … Early cutworm feeding can be identified as small irregular holes in the leaves of corn plants. Sandhill cutworms feed almost entirely beneath the surface of the soil, so they usually cut the seedlings off below the growing point. In a recent Bulletin article, I shared an observation of black cutworm damage in southern Illinois. This is an update on the black cutworm pheromone trapping program for 2014. On April 4 th, Purdue University reported that although numbers are low, black cutworm moths have been detected in some pheromone traps across the state.A few moths have also been observed in Illinois and soon the Illinois Pest Survey Monitoring System will be providing updates on black cutworm … Keep in mind that corn has been planted very early during the past couple of years, so the arrival of black cutworm moths before corn planting occurs is … Black cutworm caterpillars are blackish, thick-bodied, and up to 1 inch long. At that time, turf is quite attractive to them for egg-laying because it and winter annual weeds are about the only green plants present. Currently, three options are available for cutworm control: pre-plant or planting-time applications of soil insecticides to prevent damage, and rescue treatments after the infestation appears. The adult moth has brown wings with a 1-1/2 inch wingspan. A the six-leaf stage, the growing point is at or slightly above the soil surface (a stage that occurs approximately 3 weeks after emergence from the soil). Black cutworm and common armyworm are problematic in agronomic and turf production systems. The migratory moths, which lay eggs on winter annual weeds in producers' fields, have been captured in pheromone traps throughout much of Illinois. The head is dark brown or black. True Armyworm. Pay particular attention to fields that were planted late or had an early season weed infestation. In these areas, migrant … Ground applications to the base of the plants are most effective. Seeing significant moth captures in early and mid-April is unusual and could indicate a more frequent incidence of vegetative crop injury compared to other years. There was an intense capture in Logan County covering the weekend of the 12th and 13th of April. Normally, the black cutworm does not overwinter in the Midwest. Cutworms do not begin to cut plants until they reach the 4th instar. Black cutworm moths are strong migratory insects with northward flights commonly observed from Gulf States into the Midwest from March through May. The moth gets its scientific name from black markings on its forewings shaped like the letter "Y" or the Greek letter upsilon. Determine the larval stages by using the head capsule gauge. When scouting for black cutworms, plan to scout all fields at least once a week for a 3- to 4- week period following corn emergence. Significant flights of black cutworm moths were reported in several counties of Illinois during mid-April. The adult moth has brown wings with a 1-1/2 inch wingspan. A postemergence rescue treatment may be necessary when 3% or more of the plants are cut and larvae are still present. URBANA, Ill. - Although no intense flights (nine or more moths caught over a two-day period) of black cutworm moths have been reported, captures of this species have been common in several Illinois counties and states, said a University of Illinois Extension entomologist. Moths migrate north each spring into Illinois from Gulf Coast states. (1 = very little damage 5 = plants killed), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The wingspan is about 35 mm. There have been intensive black cutworm moth flights captured in Southern Illinois and Indiana. They can be flushed from the turf with a teaspoon of 5% pyrethrum or 1 tablespoon of dishwashing detergent in a gallon of water. Moths are attracted to fields heavily infested with weeds such as chickweed, shepherd’s purse, peppergrass, and yellow rocket. Black cutworm caterpillars are blackish, thick-bodied, and up to 1 inch long. The need for a rescue treatment can be decided with the use of the rescue treatment calculator that takes into account the following factors: Click on image for larger version Black cutworm development guide, ___ Yield Loss Factor x ___ % Cutting x ___ Expected Yield (bu/A) = ___ bu/A Loss, ___ bu/A Loss x $ ___ Price/bu = $___ Loss/A, $___ Loss/A x ___% Control = $___ Preventable Loss (95% control with adequate moisture, 80% control with inadequate moisture), $___ Preventable loss/A - $___ Cost of control/A = $___ Gain (+) or Loss (-) from Treatment, Click on image for larger version Pheromone trap. For more complete information about the biology, life cycle, and management of black cutworms and armyworms , fact sheets are available from the U of I Department of Crop Sciences. Sandhill cutworms survive best in sandy soils and can overwinter in Illinois. Corn in the one- to four-leaf stage of development is most susceptible to cutting by black cutworm larvae. ILLINOIS: Corn growers need to be on the lookout for black cutworms this spring. Based upon these captures of moths in pheromone traps, projected cutting dates are offered for the following counties: Champaign (May 20), Fayette (May 11), Logan (May 14), Madison (May 11), Pike (May 17), and Warren (May 18). The spring migratory flight of black cutworm moths remained impressive across the state and the Corn Belt through mid-April according to University of Illinois professor of entomology and crop sciences Extension coordinator Mike Gray. Where they live The black cutworm – Agrostis ipsilon Hufnagel (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) – is widely distributed in the temperate regions of the world. Click on image for larger version Black Cutworm larva (M. Montgomery, UI Extension). When scouting for black cutworms, plan to scout all fields at least once a week for a 3- to 4- week period following corn emergence. Unlike the black cutworm, the sandhill cutworm overwinters in Illinois as a partially grown larva. Captures were very light with a few exceptions. Sometimes larvae will be found beneath clods, in the planter furrow, or in soil cracks. The females lay ribbed, globular, white eggs in clusters of 10 to 30 near larval food sources. Selected registered and experimental insecticides applied at planting time or as rescue treatments were evaluated for controlling black cutworm (BCW), Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), larvae in artificial infestations of corn plants within barrier arenas during 1989 and 1990 in Illinois. Weeds that are attractive to egg-laying moths include chickweed, shepherd's purse, peppergrass, and mustards such as yellow rocket. They overwinter in the southern United States, and the moths fly up into Illinois in the spring. Outbreaks also are more likely to occur in corn planted after soybeans than corn after corn. In some areas, black cutworms have already been observed. … Cutworm control under hot, dry soil conditions may be improved by cultivating or running a rotary hoe over the field soon after spraying. Black cutworm attacks the transplants and seedlings of tomato, corn, bean, and other vegetables during the night and hides in the soil during the day. Click on image for larger version Early instar cutworm feeding, Click on image for larger version Corn plant cut at base. Black Cutworm (University of Illinois) Black Cutworm (Purdue University) The Handy Bt Trait Table (2020 Update) Related Articles. Abstract. Black cutworms are numerous this year in many Illinois locations. The most important of these factors may be late planting and pre-plant weed infestations. 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