Melon (Cantaloupe, muskmelon, and watermelon)-Armyworm and cutworm

Includes

Beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua)
Bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata)
Western yellowstriped armyworm (Spodoptera praefica)
Black cutworm (Agotis ipsilon)
Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia)

Pest description, crop damage and life history

See:

Common Pests of Vegetable Crops

Management-cultural control

Weed control is important. Lambsquarters and wild mustard attract egg-laying females and provide a source of food for larvae. Fall tillage can help destroy overwintering pupae.

Home gardeners: Control weeds, grasses, and debris in the vegetable garden that provide cover; hand-pick cutworm larvae, using a flashlight to find them, if practical. Scratch the soil at the base of plants to find larvae in the daytime.

Management-chemical control: HOME USE

Apply any one of these materials to the soil surface at first sign of cutworm activity. Consult label. Minimum preharvest interval (PHI) varies with crop. Difficult to control. Where cutworms are on the soil surface, a carbaryl drench, when bees are not present, may help.

• azadirachtin (neem oil)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• bifenthrin (often as a mix with zeta-cypermethrin).
• carbaryl
• cyfluthrin
• deltamethrin
• esfenvalerate
• horticultural oil-Some formulations OMRI-listed for organic use.
• insecticidal soap-Some formulations OMRI-listed for organic use.
• permethrin
• plant-derived essential oils (rosemary, peppermint, thyme etc.)-These have some efficacy against lepidopteran larvae. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• pyrethins (often as a mix with other ingredients)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• spinosad-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• zeta-cypermethrin

Management-chemical control: COMMERCIAL USE

• alpha-cypermethrin (Fastac EC) at 0.014 to 0.025 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.075 lb ai/a per season.
• azadirachtin (Neemix 4.5)-See label for rates. Acts slowly; apply early. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. Thorough coverage and repeat applications are necessary. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• Bacillus thuringiensis (Javelin) at 0.12 to 1.5 lb/a. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. Acts slowly; may need multiple applications. Add an appropriate spreader-sticker to enhance control. Most effective on small larvae. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• beta-cyfluthrin (Baythroid XL) at 0.007 to 0.019 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.088 lb ai/a per season.
• bifenthrin (Brigade 2EC) at 0.04 to 0.1 lb ai/a. PHI 3 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.3 lb ai/a per season. Do not make more than two applications after bloom. Retreatment interval 7 days.
• Burkholderia spp. (Venerate XC) at 1 to 4 quarts/a product. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. OMRI-listed for organic use.
• chlorantramniliprole (Coragen) at 0.045 to 0.098 lb ai/a soil treatment at planting or foliar. PHI 1 day. REI 4 hr. Limit 4 treatments per year. Retreatment interval 5 days foliar, 10 days drip. Do not exceed 0.6 lb ai/a per season.
• cyantraniliprole (Exirel) at 0.045 to 0.088 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.4 lb ai/a per year.
• cyfluthrin (Tombstone) at 0.013 to 0.038 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.175 lb ai/a per season.
• deltamethrin (Delta Gold) at 0.012 to 0.028 lb ai/a. PHI 3 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 3 days. Do not exceed 0.168 lb ai/a per season.
• esfenvalerate (Asana XL) at 0.03 to 0.05 lb ai/a as seedling spray. PHI 3 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.25 lb ai/a per year.
• gamma-cyhalothrin (Declare) at 0.01 to 0.015 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 24 hr. Do not exceed 0.09 lb ai/a per season.
• methomyl (Lannate SP) at 0.45 to 0.9 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day at 0.45 lb ai/a or 3 days at 0.9 lb ai/a. REI 48 hr. Limit 12 treatments per year. Do not exceed 5.4 lb ai/a per season.
• methoxyfenozide (Intrepid 2F) at 0.06 to 0.16 lb ai/a. PHI 3 days. REI 4 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 1 lb ai/a per season.
• novaluron (Rimon 0.83EC) at 0.058 to 0.078 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 14 days. Do not exceed 0.23 lb ai/a per season.
• permethrin (Loveland Permethrin) at 0.1 to 0.2 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 1.2 lb ai/a per season watermelons; cantaloupes 0.8 lb ai/a per season. Cutworms only.
• spinosad (Success, Entrust SC) at 0.0625 to 0.125 lb ai/a. PHI 3 days. REI 4 hr. Do not exceed six applications or 0.45 lb ai/a per crop. Entrust SC is OMRI-listed for organic use.
• Spodoptera frugiperda or exigua (Fawligen, Spexit) at 1 to 2.5 fl oz product per acre. PHI 0 day. REI 4 hr. Beet armyworm and fall armyworm only.
• tebuconazole/lambda cyhalothrin (Crossover) at 0.14 to 0.16 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 24 hr. Do not exceed 0.48 lb ai/a tebuconazole or 0.18 lb ai/a lambda cyhalothrin per season.
• zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang) at 0.016 to 0.05 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.3 lb ai/a per year.

Note: Pesticides may injure cucurbits. The possibility of injury is less when foliage is dry at time of application.