Significant Flights Of Black Cutworm Detected

Black cutworm moths on the rise in Pennsylvania.

Some portions of the Midwest, particularly Indiana, have seen high populations of black cutworm this spring.  In Pennsylvania, our activity has grown slowly, but in the past week we have seen an uptick of activity.  Penn State’s Black Cutworm Monitoring Network detected “significant flights” of black cutworm moths in St. Mary’s (Elk County), Wellsboro (Tioga County), and Mercer (Mercer County) using pheromone traps.  Other areas with notable but lower levels of activity include Berks County, near Kutztown, southern Lebanon near North Cornwall, and southern Franklin County near State Line, PA.

A significant flight occurs when we capture eight moths in an individual trap over the course of two nights. We can then predict that a significant population may develop and that cutting larvae will be active in that area in approximately 300 degree days.  Degree-day accumulations for black cutworm can be visualized with the PA-PIPE system.

We will give regular updates on degree-day accumulations, activity in other traps, and warnings on when and where black cutworm larvae may be a threat.  At the moment, degree-day accumulation for the three locations listed above are all these than 65, so we will have a ways to go before we expect to see much cutting activity in the field.  Remember that insecticidal seed treatments and transgenic corn varieties can still be vulnerable to some damage, and it is worth reiterating that well-timed scouting and spot rescue treatments are usually the most economical strategy for managing black cutworm.

Source : psu.edu