Agrotis ipsilon, Agrotis spp., Peridroma saucia, Chorizagrotis auxiliaris, and other species

Damage to plants

• Stems of seedlings cut at ground level or slightly below the surface.

• Holes in leaves and leaf margins removed, caused by feeding.

• Cavities in the base of the stem due to feeding, resulting in plants prone to wilting and lodging.

Signs

• Gaps in the maize stand, due to seedlings cut at the base of the stem.

• Cavities in the lower stems of older plants.

• Brownish-black larvae in the soil around damaged plants.

• Wilting plants or entirely devoured plants.

• Pearly white round eggs on plant stems or on ground around seedlings.

• Worm frass (feces).

Factors favoring insects / pest development

• Weedy conditions prior to planting and after crop emergence encourage build up of cutworms.

• Presence of alternate hosts.

• Planting maize in rotation with other host crops such as soybean and rye.

Geographic distribution

• Worldwide distribution.