Black cutworms have made their presence know to the Keota area. I found several fields today(5/23/2011) that have some cutting damage. All the cutting was done above the ground. The cutworms were at the third instar growth stage. This puts them at about 1/2 to 3/4 inch long. They are just beginning their feeding. The damage isn't severe at this time, but it won't take them long to feed on more plants. The economic thresholds have been lowered this year due to the price of corn and the cost of production. I saw approximately 1% damage today. The fields are still wet and it may be Wednesday before the sprayers can get rolling. If it rains Tuesday, then it could be Friday before spraying.
This could be a long cutworm season. The forecast is for cooler temperatures later this week. This does not promote corn seedling growth and the cutworms like cool damp soils. What a combination. ISU has also said that the trapping of moths in April peaked at two different times which indicates that there could be a longer cutting season.
Things look way too good to take these pests for granted. A 2% damage could reduce your stand by 700 plants per acre. This equates to about 5.5 bushels per acre. At $6 corn, you can do the math and compare to the cost of control. Also, you can do some paper work to recoup some of the cost of control. Sounds like a win, win to me. If you have a claim and it is on Lewis Hybrids seedcorn, give me a call and we can get the process going.
If you have any other questions, feel free to give me a call.
Perri
319-929-7851
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