Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Black Cutworm Fact Sheet from OMAFRA

An unseasonably early tornado season in the U.S. Midwest has blown a potentially big black cutworm problem to southern Ontario farms. 


Scientific Name
Agrotis ipsilon

Identification

  • Black cutworm larvae are greyish-black with a paler underside 
  • Mature larvae are about 5 cm (2 in.) long
  • The larvae are soft and fat, and they roll up when disturbed 
  • Early-season cutworms attack the seedling plants, usually cutting them below or at the soil surface 
  • A single larva may destroy several seedlings

Often Confused With
Wireworm damage
Damping-off

Period of Activity
Warm, clear, calm nights in early spring are ideal for moths to lay eggs. Feeding occurs from early May through to mid-June. Larval activity usually coincides with early season planting and emergence.  Damage is often sporadic and appears in localized areas within a field. Most species of cutworms feed at night, hiding during the day under loose stones or in the soil near the base of the plant. Plants are most vulnerable to cutworm losses shortly after transplanting.

Scouting Notes
While walking fields, keep an eye open for wilted plants or stems that have been severed at the soil level.  Dig around the damaged plant to look for the cause of the damage.  If a cutworm is uncovered, take note of its size.  Record the percentage of wilted or cut plants within the field.

Thresholds
For most vegetable crops, the control guideline is 5% damaged plants. Small larvae (less than 1 cm or 3/8 in.) are easier to control. Large larvaestop feeding as they prepare to pupate.  Control of these large larvae is usually unnecessary.

Check the OMAFRA fact sheet at: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/IPM/english/peppers/insects/black-cutwo...

Views: 474

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Pulse Market Insight #300

Indian Monsoon Outcome Key for Pulse Outlooks We think it’s important to not react too quickly to weather events, and particularly forecasts. For example, the crop outlook in western Canada has already made a number of sharp U-turns, and it’s only mid-June. As we get further into the growing season, outcomes will become more certain and the outlook will become clearer. Even though we don’t want to bet too much on weather forecasts, there is a potential situation in India that certainly bears watching. Recently, the Indian Meteorology Department lowered its rain forecast for the southwest monsoon season to 90% of the long-term average, based on the potential for a large El Niño event. This was the lowest IMD monsoon forecast in at least 20 years. The actual monsoon performance doesn’t always line up with the IMD forecast, but the accuracy of its forecasts seems to be better in recent years. While there’s plenty of uncertainty in the forecast, it’s worth noting that back in 2014/15 an

Chicago Close: Lower Ahead of U.S. Juneteenth Holiday

Corn, wheat and soybean futures all finished lower on Thursday as traders adjusted positions ahead of the long U.S. holiday weekend. Chicago markets will be closed Friday for the Juneteenth federal holiday. Corn futures weakened despite generally supportive export news. The USDA confirmed private sales of 285,775 tonnes of corn to Mexico for delivery during the 2026/27 marketing year. Meanwhile, today’s weekly USDA export sales report showed about 1.16 million tonnes of old-crop corn and 519,035 tonnes of new-crop supplies. Old-crop sales were within trade expectations, while new-crop bookings fell short of the upper end of forecasts. July corn lost 3 ½ cents to $4.17 ½, and December dropped 4 ¾ cents to $4.44. A stronger U.S. dollar added pressure across the grain complex after the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting on Wednesday reinforced expectations for higher interest rates. A rising dollar makes U.S. agricultural commodities more expensive for overseas customers. Wheat futu

Saskatchewan Crop Conditions Slip but Still Strong

Saskatchewan crop conditions generally weakened through the first half of June but remain strong overall. Thursday’s crop report pegged the Saskatchewan canola crop at 76% good to excellent as of Monday, down 13 points from the province’s initial 2026 rating of 89% on June 1. Spring wheat was rated 82% good to excellent as of Monday, down from 90% on June 1. Durum slipped just 1 point to 89%, while winter wheat fell 6 points to 79%. Conditions also deteriorated for most feed grains. Oats declined 8 points to 80% good to excellent, and barley dropped 6 points to 83%. Among pulse and specialty crops, peas fell 6 points to 85% good to excellent, while chickpeas declined 3 points to 93%. Mustard dropped 4 points to 88%, and soybeans were down 6 points to 70%. Flax was unchanged at 87%, and lentils were down 9 points at 86%. Canaryseed was one of the few crops to improve, edging up 1 point to 88% good to excellent. Saskatchewan seeding advanced slowly over the past week, hitting

Fertilizer Canada supports Mercosur trade deal

Canadian policy must enhance potash competitiveness, the group said

Canadians pay $224 per year for supply management, a new report says

A think tank compared product prices in Canada with those in the U.S.

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service