Sorry don't know why my new phone is making the pics expand weird like this

Yes, those are cutworms. They come in a range of colors (depending on the species of moth that laid the eggs). They will always curl into a "C" formation when disturbed. The easiest way to control is just to pick them out and squish when you cultivate (weed, etc.) the soil. They are very common in most gardens so not sure whether I would consider your finding a bunch an "infestation" or not :-))

Control of cutworms

i used to put them in a cup.. then onto the driveway ... and the birds took care of them ...

when a lawn infestation becomes worth bothering about.. you will have large areas of dead lawn ... there are so many of them.. they eat all the roots ... lawn warriors treat for them .. once i left suburbia... whatever.. its not worth the money to treat them .. but then.. i no longer have the monoculture lawn that requires warrior status ... and dont seem to have a noticeable issue ... go figure ...

but what struck me most with gals answer .... if you want the moths .... then you have to live with them .. gross as they may be .... though perhaps reducing the population .... in a new bed ..... if you are going to plant seed in spring .. aka veggie bed ... by the time you would plant potted stock ... they are probably gone.. due to our late frost free date ...

in my MI experience.... they are a minor issue in spring.. when they can attack seedlings.. or soft spring growth ... like my hosta when they emerge ... and then i just scratch around in the soil .... no more than a few inches from the damage .. and usually find the miscreant ....

ken

Looks like your soil ecosystem, Devin, is out of balance. To improve it start adding organic materials to the soil and stop using synthetic fertilizers. With time things will be able to take care of themselves.

To learn more about soil have a look here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/soils/health/biology

As for the worms I would leave them alone, since we never know who is a friend and who is an enemy.

Ken I literally hate lawns who came up with the idea of just grass its so boring lol but my husband likes the whole lawn idea :/ I throw the grubs out for the birds guess I will do these guys too.....do I want the moths?

Windberry, will do! Ill add compost or something? I've never used fertilizer but we've only lived at this house 2 years and I am unsure what the previous owners did when we first got here it was wildly over grown so I'm not sure they ever really did anything to it lol

"As for the worms I would leave them alone, since we never know who is a friend and who is an enemy."

Those in the photos are definitely cutworms and none are garden friends: -) And the appearance of cutworms has nothing to do with the soil ecosystem being out of balance!! They are the larvae of flying insects and have nothing to do with the soil.......except for it providing a decent incubation and hiding environment.

I can testify that having healthy soil doesn't prevent cutworms.

Those are cutworms, moth larvae of a number of different species and the grubs are either Japanese beetles or June bugs. Milky spore works for the latter two and BT for the former. However, either way you are not likely to get rid of all of them no matter how you do it, no matter how organic or not you treat your soil.

Devin westland said: " Ill add compost or something?".

I have been adding to my soil judiciously all kinds of organic materials either in the form of soil amendment or mulch. Compost, grass clippings, straw, conifer needles, wood chips, fallen leaves, wood ash (from my own prunings), crushed egg shells, sawdust (I expect gasps of horror here), and a very limited amount of organic fertilizer. Over the years my garden has changed from a "dry desert" to a lush area filled with healthy, naturally grown fruit and vegetables. I don't see any cutworms in my soil. Besides adding organic materials I also grow cover crops often called green manures, and practice inter-cropping and crop rotation. My edible garden is only a part of the bio-diverse mini-ecosystem that I have been striving to create on my property. The soil can't be fully healthy when not being a part of the healthy environment.