Can variegated cutworm feed on alfalfa?
ISU entomologist Marlin Rice is finding ½ to ¾ inch variegated cutworms feeding in alfalfa. Larvae feed on stems and leaves. Variegated cutworms can range in color from greenish-yellow to almost black. Look for a row of small white diamonds on back of the larva to distinguish it from armyworm or other larvae. After the hay is cut, larvae hide under windrows. Watch alfalfa regrowth under where the windrows laid. If hay doesn’t start to regrow within a four to five day period after harvest, you should consider using an insecticide treatment, he says. Stalk borers are stalking some corn fields Enough growing degree days have accumulated in central Iowa for stalk borers to begin migration from small, grassy plants (smooth bromegrass) to corn. You should scout areas bordering terraces and grass waterways NOW, says Holmes. He issued that warning on June 7. Stalk borers are controlled when they absorb insecticide through their skin while moving from grassy areas to corn. Therefore, insectic
