Catworms develop into nocturnal swarming moths and are important for our nature. In the garden, however, they can cause damage by feeding on roots and tubers.

Catworms can cause significant damage when seen in large numbers

Catworms have their right to exist, of course. In the garden, however, they mainly appear as pests that can cause trouble in the vegetable patch. In the following you will learn how to reliably identify an infestation with cutworms and combat the hidden cutworms in a natural and gentle way.

What are cutworms?

Sugar caterpillars are the larvae of various cutworms of the genera Agrotis, Scotia, Noctuaand Euxoa or - depending on the definition - of all species of the family Noctuidae. The larvae first live above ground and then migrate underground, where they feed on the roots of many crops. At night, some species come to the surface and also feed on above-ground plant parts. If the caterpillars are disturbed, they curl up in a spiral.

Sugar caterpillars begin their life cycle on above-ground parts of plants where female cutworms lay their eggs. It takes four to seven days for the first larvae to hatch from the eggs. The caterpillars are initially so small that they can easily be overlooked. Depending on the temperature, the larva takes one to two weeks to develop into a larger caterpillar - it is now in the third stage of its development and has already molted twice. From now on, she begins to feed on plants during the day in the ground and above ground at night. Finally, in the last larval stage, it migrates more than 50 cm deep into the ground and overwinters there. Pupation occurs just below the surface of the soil next spring in a glossy, nut-brown cocoon.

The spiral coiling is a distinguishing feature of the owl caterpillars

Note: Catworms eat potatoes, carrots, lettuce, celery, beetroot, cabbage, spinach, onions, leeks, corn, various tender young plants, but also ornamental plants and even spruces, larches and the turf amicably.

Determine cutworms: damage andAppearance

The moths of the owl caterpillars look different depending on the species. The wingspan is about 4 cm, and the wings themselves are colored in inconspicuous shades of brown and gray. Depending on the weather, the moths fly from the end of May to the end of July. Sometimes, however, owl caterpillars still fly in August and September when development is severely delayed.

Cottage moths are pretty to look at up close

The eggs of the owl caterpillar are first white and later black. They are deposited on plants or on the ground. Hatching occurs one to two weeks after moth flight.

The young caterpillars of the cutlet moth are small and hardly visible. They have nondescript, earth-colored skin with a green tinge and are hairless. In addition, above ground they tend to leave inconspicuous, small feeding damage (window damage, hole damage and leaf edge damage) which often goes unnoticed.

Young owl caterpillars are greenish, later larval stages are darker with longitudinal stripes

Tip: If the cutworms live under the lawn, this will show up in the form of crescent-shaped feeding tunnels that run shallowly under the soil surface. Birds appear as secondary damage and, depending on the location and fence of the garden, sometimes even badgers and wild boars, which dig in the ground for the delicious caterpillars.

Starlings like to look for cutworms in the lawn

The pupae of the cutlet moth lie just below the surface of the earth and are smooth, shiny and maroon. The doll is tapered at the back. When touched, you will notice that the doll is poseable.

The pupae of the owl caterpillars are unmistakable

Tip: Specific pheromone traps are a reliable method of detection. They are hung at the time of mating flight to determine when owl caterpillars can be expected.

Fighting cutworms

Sugar caterpillars are found in every he althy garden. If there are too many, however, the garden suffers from them. If you find three to six larvae per square meter in the ground, this already means noticeable damage. Anyone who discovers 30 caterpillars per square meter can be expected to become bare.

Hardly any pesticides are approved for controlling cutworms in the home garden. This is mainly due to the fact that the caterpillars hide so well and are difficult for spraying agents to reach. Luckily, there are other effective ways to get rid of cutworms.

The owl moth lays a lot of eggs at once - that's how it will beCutworm quickly to the problem

Nematodes against cutworms

An effective and ecological method of combating cutworms is the use of nematodes of the species Steinernema carpocapsae. These parasitize the caterpillars hidden in the ground and kill them by releasing a toxin. You can get the roundwormsSteinernema carpocapsae in your garden with our Plantura SC nematodes. The nematode solution can be used on the lawn and also against the larvae of mole crickets (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa) and meadow gnats (Tipula paludosa). Once introduced into the soil, the roundworms lie in wait for their future hosts. They then infest the cutworms and use bacteria to kill them without affecting other garden dwellers.

Application of our SC nematodes against cutworms:

  • The best time to use against cutworms is between June and September.
  • The contents of the supplied sachet are stirred into the appropriate amount of water according to the instructions for use.
  • The suspension is poured into a watering can and spread over the floor area to be treated. You should stir occasionally to prevent the nematodes from settling on the bottom of the watering can.
  • After applying, you should water the treated area with about one liter of water per square meter to flush the nematodes into the soil. In the following two weeks it is also important to ensure even moisture in the soil so that the nematodes can find optimal living conditions.

Further application instructions can be found in the detailed package insert.

Tip: Bacteria of the species Bacillus thuringiensis are also a very effective remedy against owl caterpillars that are still feeding on the plant above ground. Although these may only be used against owl caterpillars on cabbage, they not only fight owl caterpillars there, but also cabbage white caterpillars. With this type of bacteria, our Plantura Bio Zünslerfrei XenTari® works reliably against cutworms on cabbage.

Home remedies for cutworms

There are a number of home remedies that can also be used to combat this:

  • Soil cultivation disrupts the development of cutworms in the soil. So hoeing before sowing is useful if you expect a heavy infestation of cutworms.
  • Covering the vegetables with crop protection nets will prevent the cutlet moth from laying eggs. With a bit of luck, the moth will find onePlace where its larvae do less damage.
Tilling the soil before sowing disturbs the development of cutworms

Tip: There is also the possibility of attracting the caterpillars of the cutlet moth with special bait: Mix water, sugar and bran in a wide bowl to form a rather firm paste and bury the pot flush with the ground near the plant. You can later collect the cutworms from the bowl.

Can an infestation be prevented?

There is no 100% protection against cutworms, as there are various types of cutworms in Germany that like to lay their eggs on crops. However, the best way is to create a natural garden and a varied crop rotation. Natural enemies of cutworms are birds, shrews, hedgehogs, moles, ground beetles and parasitic wasps. If you encourage these animals, for example with a flower meadow, a wild corner in the garden or a hedge with native trees, you can also regulate the cutworms.
And something else helps against the voracious animals: cutworms don't like damp soil. If you mulch the vegetable bed and even ensure moisture under the mulch by drip irrigation, you will drive away owl caterpillars in the long run.

Drip irrigation and mulch are good cutworm prevention

Cottage moths are butterflies, even if they only fly at night. We present the most popular native butterfly species in our special article.

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Hedgehog, Squirrel & Co.