Parsley-Armyworm, cutworm, and looper

Includes

Beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua)
Bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata)
Western yellowstriped armyworm (Spodoptera praefica)
Black cutworm (Agotis ipsilon)
Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia)
Alfalfa looper (Autographa californica)
Cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni)

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.

• acetamiprid
• azadirachtin (neem oil)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki (Btk)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• carbaryl
• cyfluthrin
• kaolin-Applied as a spray to foliage and stems it acts as a repellent to some insect pests. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• malathion
• permethrin
• plant-derived essential oils (rosemary, peppermint etc.)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• pyrethrins-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) at 0.14 to 0.35 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. OMRI-listed for organic use.
• Bacillus thuringiensis (Javelin) at 0.12 to 1.5 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. Acts slowly; may need multiple applications. An adjuvant improves control. Most effective on small larvae. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
• beta-cyfluthrin (Baythroid XL) at 0.007 to 0.025 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.1 lb ai/a per season.
• beta-cyfluthrin/imidacloprid (Leverage 360) at 0.07 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.1 lb ai/a beta-cyfluthrin or 0.2 lb ai/a imidacloprid per season.
• bifenthrin (Brigade 2EC) at 0.08 to 0.1 lb ai/a. PHI 21 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.5 lb ai/a per season.
• bifenthrin/zeta-cypermethrin (Hero EW) at 0.025 to 0.1 lb ai/a. PHI 21 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 21 days. Do not exceed 0.45 lb ai/a per season. Turnip-rooted parsley only.
• borate complex (Prev-Am Ultra) apply as 0.8% solution to complete coverage. REI 12 hr. OMRI-listed for organic use.
• Burkholderia spp. (Venerate XC) at 1 to 4 quarts/a product. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. OMRI-listed for organic use.
• carbaryl (Sevin 4F) at 0.5 to 2 lb ai/a. PHI 14 days leafy; 7 days rooted. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 6 lb ai/a per season. Limit 5 treatments per year. Armyworm only.
• chlorantraniliprole (Coragen) at 0.045 to 0.098 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 4 hr. Retreatment interval 3 days. Do not exceed 0.2 lb ai/a per season. Limit 4 treatments.
• chlorantraniliprole/thiamethoxam (Voliam Flexi) at 0.1 to 0.172 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.172 lb ai of thiamethoxam or 0.2 lb ai of chlorantraniliprole per acre per growing season.
• Chromobacterium subtsugae (Grandevo) at 0.3 to 0.9 lb ai/a per 100 gal. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. OMRI-listed for organic use.
• cyantraniliprole (Exirel) at 0.045 to 0.11 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.4 lb ai/a per year.
• cyclaniliprole (Harvanta 50SL) at 0.036 to 0.054 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 4 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.22 lb ai/a per year.
• cyfluthrin (Tombstone) at 0.013 to 0.05 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.2 lb ai/a per season.
• emamectin benzoate (Proclaim) at 0.008 to 0.015 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.09 lb ai/a per season.
• GS-omega/kappa-Hxtx-Hv1a (Spear Lep) at 0.8 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. Do not exceed 2 lb ai/a per year.
• indoxacarb (Avaunt) at 0.065 to 0.11 lb ai/a. PHI 3 days REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.44 lb ai/a per crop. Retreatment interval 3 days.
• methomyl (Lannate SP) at 0.45 to 0.9 lb ai/a. PHI 10 days. REI 48 hr. Do not exceed 3.6 lb ai/a per season. Limit 8 treatments.
• methoxyfenozide (Intrepid 2F) at 0.06 to 0.12 lb ai/a early season; 0.12 to 0.16 lb ai/a mid and late season. PHI 1 day. REI 4 hr. Retreatment interval 10 to 14 days. Do not exceed 1 lb ai/a per season.
• permethrin (Loveland Permethrin, Permethrin Cutworm Bait) at 0.05 to 0.2 lb ai/a foliar spray or 0.1 to 0.2 lb ai/a as bait. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Do not graze. Retreatment interval 3 days. Do not exceed 0.2 lb ai/a per season.
• spinetoram (Radiant SC) at 0.039 to 0.078 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 4 hr. Retreatment interval 4 days. Do not exceed 0.266 lb ai/a per season. Limit 6 treatments per season. Do not apply to seedling leafy vegetables grown for transplant within a greenhouse, shade house, or field plot.
• spinosad (Success, Entrust) at 0.063 to 0.094 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 4 hr. Treat eggs at hatch and small larvae. Do not exceed 0.45 lb ai/a per crop. Limit 6 treatments per season. Entrust SC is OMRI-listed for organic use.
• tebufenozide (Confirm 2F) at 0.09 to 0.12 lb ai/a early-season; 0.12 lb ai/a mid- to late-season. PHI 7 days. REI 4 hr. Do not exceed 0.63 lb ai/a per season. Retreatment interval 10 days. Use of a spreader-binder is recommended.
• thiamethoxam/chlorantraniliprole (Durivo) at 0.194 to 0.257 lb ai/a applied to the soil. PHI 30 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.172 lb ai of thiamethoxam or 0.2 lb ai of chlorantraniliprole per acre per growing season.
• tolfenpyrad (Torac) at 0.21 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 14 days. Limit 2 treatments. Do not exceed 0.42 lb ai/a per year. Suppression.
• zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang) at 0.028 to 0.05 lb ai/a for cutworm, and 0.04 to 0.05 lb ai/a for armyworm and looper. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not graze or cut for feed. Do not exceed 0.3 lb ai/a per season.