Larvae, or the shiny red-brown, bullet-shaped pupa case, also may be unearthed while weeding in spring and early summer. In the Pacific Northwest, small cutworms feed at night in mid-December and January. Cutworms leave pellet-shaped droppings, while slugs deposit S-shaped sludge wrapped in slime.īiology and life cycle Cutworms are found throughout the year, but are most damaging early in the spring when overwintering larvae feed on emerging plant tissues.
Cutworm larvae are nocturnal, and their damage easily confused with slugs, but cutworms make clean cuts, while slugs rasp from the side of the plant leaving a ragged edge. Damage includes leaf and shoot feeding and may include cutting plants off at the soil line. The larvae are black with brown and white markings and measure 0.5 to 0.75 inch in length. The variegated cutworm is one of the most commonly found caterpillars invading gardens and home landscapes in the PNW. Pest description and damage The moth family Noctuidae contains over 2,000 species of caterpillars including cutworm, fruitworm and armyworm.
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