The earlier you discover the pests, the easier control of cutworms becomes since it’s easier to kill cutworm pests when they are under ½ inch (1.25 cm.) long. If you follow up prevention with careful monitoring, you are on your way to limiting cutworm damage.

Picking up plant detritus is another good option since the eggs that hatch into cutworms are laid on dead plant material. Taking out weeds and early planting also help to prevent cutworm infestations. Plowing or cultivating the soil well is a big help since it kills the larvae overwintering in soil. Cutworm issues are usually worse in areas that haven’t been tilled. About Cutworm ControlĬutworm control begins with prevention. In all cases, the largest larvae do the most cutworm damage. Some types of cutworms climb up to feed higher on plant stems and the damage will be higher. At night, they come out and feed on the base of plants. In general, the cutworms won’t get more than 2 inches (5 cm.) long and if you pick them up, they curl into a C shape.Ĭutworms aren’t that easy to spot anyway since they hide during the day in the soil. Some have spots, other stripes, and even soil hues. Some are black, brown, grey or tan while others can be pink or green. Identifying cutworms is not as easy as you might think since different species are different colors. Read on for more information on how to kill cutworm pests. Control of cutworms is possible with a little know-how. If cutworms are attacking your seedlings, you’ll want to know how to get rid of cutworms. While the moths themselves do no harm to crops, the larvae, called cutworms, destroy young plants by eating the stems at or near ground level. They are the larvae (in caterpillar form) of night-flying moths. Cutworms are frustrating pests in the garden.

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