Moths may stay in the local area or migrate to other locations.įigure 4: Black cutworm adult moth. After two weeks in the pupal stage, they emerge adult moths. Cutworms require 20 to 40 days of intense feeding to form pupae. As the caterpillars increase in size, they burrow into the turf and move to and from these holes at night to feed on the grass. The eggs hatch in three to 10 days (depending on temperature) and the young caterpillars begin to feed on the grass shoots. One female can lay 300 to2,000 eggs over a series of several days. The female lays eggs singly on the tips of grass blades (Fig. The adult moths mate and feed at night on flowering trees, bushes or weeds near the golf course. They can complete one to three generations per season in Michigan.
Every year, the adult moths migrate northward and arrive in Michigan in early to mid June.
Life historyīlack cutworms overwinter and the southernmost regions of North America. Cutworms simply occupy the aeration holes when they are present on a green instead of making their own burrows.įigure 3: Black cutworm caterpillar. The caterpillars often use aeration holes for burrows, but aerated greens do not have more cutworm damage than greens that are not aerated. Their feeding damage resembles ball marks on golf course greens - round or depressed spots of dead turf (Fig. They emerge at night to feed on the roots and shoots of grass plants. Injuryīlack cutworms dig burrows in the thatch or soil of a golf course green. Although cutworms are also found on fairways, they rarely cause enough damage to be considered a problem there.įigure 2: Black cutworm eggs on bentgrass. It is a common problem on creeping bentgrass greens of golf courses, which can tolerate very little feeding injury.
The black cutworm has many weed and crop hosts. The black cutworm is the species most likely to damage turf in Michigan.įigure 1: Damage caused by black cutworms. Cutworms are found throughout North America. The young cutworm feeds on plant material without cutting off the stems or leaves but later becomes a true cutworm when it begins to cut off foliage and carry it back to its burrow. Three species of cutworms are pests on golf course turf: the black cut worm, the bronzed cutworm and the variegated cutworm.
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