They will initially feed on weed hosts until the plants they favor emerge. They emerge in early spring for the newly emerging first growth. Variegated cutworms overwinter as grubs in the soil and are most distinguishable by the 5 yellow dots along the center of their back. Their range includes southern Canada from coast to coast, the entire US, and all the way south into Mexico. The Variegated Cutworm (Pearly Underwing) Peridroma saucia has the widest distribution in North America.In small gardens it is very helpful to pick the cutworms by hand if you find them. Keep an eye out in springtime for the adults arriving on the wind and inspect corn plants for wilt or damage. They will feed on the leaves of host weeds until corn shoots emerge at which time they will move to the crop and eventually burrow into the soil to tunnel into the stalk. The adults will lay their eggs on the leaves of weeds or crop residue prior to late corn being planted.
The adult moths arrive in these locations via the strong southerly winds from the Gulf states and Mexico travelling a few hundred miles in just a couple of nights. The Black Cutworm Agrotis ipsilon is a serious pest of corn and does not overwinter in the colder climes of the U.S.In the warmer climate zones of Canada, gardeners can see 2-3 generations of cutworms per year. North Carolina, for example, can see as many as 4 generations/year, while in Florida there may be 5 – 6 generation/year. The number of generations they have depends on location of the pest. There are three types of cutworm moth that are especially common in North America.
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