For the last couple of weeks, storms originating in the Southwestern U.S. have effectively “vacuumed up” black cutworm (BCW) moths and deposited them, along with rainfall, in the Midwest.
3 articles tagged "Black cutworm damage".
This week, I was contacted about a 300+ acre, 5-6 leaf cornfield with multiple problems, described as plants dying and toppling over with feeding damage at the base of the roots.
No surprise, as reported in last week’s Pest&Crop, the “landing spots” for the many black cutworm moths into the state are now being realized. Another encouragement to scout high-risk corn and soybean fields as they emerge. Black cutworm larvae, some near pupation, were reported cutting soybean seedlings in Southwest Indiana. The river bottom fields, lush with weeds earlier this spring, had lost 4 to 8,000 plants/acre from the damage. Because of soybeans ability to compensate for lost plants, and the size of the cutworm larvae, no treatment will be necessary in these fields. Fortunately, the damage was scattered throughout, rather than concentrated in areas of the fields. If replanting, or filling-in, is being considered, the following publication may be of help, click HERE. In West Central Indiana, black cutworm damage was being reported in one-leaf sweet corn planted into cover crop residues. Most plants had some leaf feeding, and cutting[Read More…]
