What damage do cutworms cause?
The damage caused by cutworms is characteristic and clearly distinguishable from that caused by other pests. It can occur in various forms:
- Eating away at the root collar: The young larvae initially feed on the leaves, but the older stages live in the soil and feed directly on the base of the stem. This causes young plants to bend over as if they had been cut off (hence the name ‘cutworms’).
- Underground root feeding: Cutworms eat tunnels into thick roots and tubers, which often promotes rotting.
- Hole feeding on leaves close to the ground: At night, they pull parts of plants into their burrows to consume them there, where they are protected.
- Bare feeding in mass occurrences: In warm, dry summers, they can destroy entire rows of seedlings within a few nights.
Which plants are affected by cutworms?
Cutworms are generalists and eat almost anything that is green. However, the following are particularly at risk:
- Vegetable crops: lettuce, cabbage, leeks, onions and tomatoes (especially young seedlings).
- Root and tuber vegetables: carrots, radishes, beetroot and potatoes.
- Field crops & maize: In commercial horticulture, maize and sugar beet are often affected.
- Ornamental plants: Summer flowers such as dahlias, zinnias and carnations are also frequently attacked at the base of the stem.
- Grapevines: In some regions, they damage the swelling buds of the vines in spring.
Distinguishing feature: If you carefully dig up a plant that has suddenly wilted or fallen over, you will often find a grey or brownish caterpillar that immediately curls up into a C-shape when touched.
nemastar® against cutworms
nemastar® contains nematodes of the species Steinernema carpocapsae for biological control of cutworms. The nematodes penetrate the cutworms and combat them using a bacterium that they secrete inside the caterpillars. The nematodes multiply inside the caterpillars and search for further cutworms. This creates a lasting effect in the soil.
