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westy1941

What Does a Cutworm Look Like, OR . . .

19 years ago

. . . is it something else that is taking huge clean bites out of the edges of some of my H's? I know it's not slugs - they leave holes. This is different - like a Raptor bite. The leaves have inverted 'scallops'.

Westy

Comments (8)

  • 19 years ago

    Those bites are from a wasp...O forget what kind...used the bites of leaves for it's nest.
    A cut worm is an ugly grubby looking thing that cuts a plant off at the base.
    These wasps just want a little bite of leaf to build their nests....when the nest is made they stop taking bites out of your leaves.
    Linda C

  • 19 years ago

    I'm betting it was cutworms. I've got quite a few here that are damaged also and I've caught a few cutworms late at night. The cutworms here have never cut off the leaf at the base though and just eat 80% of the leaf and move to the next.

  • 19 years ago

    Westy I have them also.
    They have been active this past week.
    You can find the caterillar worm (cut worm)(about 1/2 long) in the petiols in the morning. They don't move from one plant to another. If they like the meal they have they will stay.

    Pick them off and drown them. They are not as disgusting as slugs! ewe They usually are on the petiole of the leaf that is chewed.

  • 19 years ago

    It could be caterpillar but the pretty kind that make nice butterflies. If you are seeing little white moths or sulfur colored moths, then I'm betting on that type caterpillar. They fly around, chasing each other, do the deed and go lay eggs in the hosta. It is amazing the number of them I run out of my container hosta when I water.

  • 19 years ago

    Highjack, what do you mean? "It is amazing the number of them I run out of my container hosta when I water". Do you mean the hose spray flushes them out of the leaves? Are you talking about cutworms or moths?

    Karen finds them during the day, Hostared in the morning, I've only found them occasionally after dark. What's the best time to find them?

  • 19 years ago

    Maryann I am sure they are out at night but I usually go to bed early. I am up early so I like to have by walkie with my coffee early am. That's probably when these little buggers have their belly full and are just looking for a place to hide. I guess they can be around anytime but this is when I see them. Never saw any moths highjack.

  • 19 years ago

    If you have "pretty caterpillars" on your hostas, try moving them yards away from the hostas into a more wild area. Those will often become butterflys. I have areas with wildflowers. Many butterflys like wild flowers like quees annes lace or milkweed.

    If you need to dispose of too many caterpillers, a jar of soapy water is the best way. Good for japanese beetles and grubs, too.

  • 15 years ago

    My husband prompted my attention to the garden to show me the up & coming of the snow peas we had planted-one of my tomato plants lie on the ground cut right at the base of the plant @ ground level-I wanted to know what one looked like & to verify the results of an attack from one-a Master Gardener I spoke with identified the attack as a cutworm

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