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
- 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
- esfenvalerate
- gamma-cyhalothrin-Not for use on dry peas.
- 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
- Bacillus thuringiensis (Javelin)-See product label for rates. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. Armyworms only. Add an appropriate spreader-sticker to enhance control. Most effective on small larvae. Less effective in cool weather, when larvae feed slowly. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
- beta-cyfluthrin (Baythroid XL) at 0.007 to 0.025 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 14 days. Do not exceed 0.05 lb ai/a per season.
- bifenthrin (Capture, Sniper) at 0.033 to 0.1 lb ai/a. PHI 3 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.2 lb ai/a per season. Do not apply within 25 ft of an aquatic habitat, 150 ft if applied by air.
- carbaryl (Sevin) at 1 to 1.5 lb ai/a. PHI 3 days for harvest of succulents, 21 days for dried, 14 days for forage, and 21 days for hay. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 6 lb ai/a per season. Control is more effective against cutworm species that feed on the upper parts of the plant.
- cyfluthrin (Tombstone) at 0.013 to 0.05 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.1 lb ai/a per season. Do not feed vines or hay. Do not apply within 25 ft of an aquatic habitat, 150 ft if applied by air.
- diazinon at 2 to 4 lb ai/a broadcast before planting and incorporate into the soil. REI 3 days. Succulent peas only.
- esfenvalerate (Asana) at 0.03 to 0.05 lb ai/a. PHI 3 days green peas and 21 days dry peas. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.2 lb ai/a (dry peas) or 0.1 lb ai/a (green peas) per season. Do not feed treated vines to livestock. Do not apply within 25 ft of an aquatic habitat, 150 ft if applied by air.
- gamma-cyhalothrin at 0.0075 to 0.015 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days edible podded and succulent shelled peas, and 21 days for dry shelled peas. REI 24 hr. Do not exceed 0.06 lb ai/a per season.
- lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior II) at 0.015 to 0.03 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days for succulent peas, 21 days for dry peas. REI 24 hr. Do not graze or feed to livestock. Do not exceed 0.12 lb ai/a per season. Do not apply within 25 ft of an aquatic habitat, 150 ft if applied by air.
- methomyl (Lannate) at 0.45 to 0.9 lb/a. PHI 1 day for harvest, 5 days for forage, and 14 days for hay-green only. REI 48 hr. Do not exceed six applications per crop or 2.7 lb ai/a per season.
- methoxyfenozide (Intrepid) at 0.06 to 0.12 lb ai/a early season or 0.12 to 0.25 lb ai/a mid to late season. PHI 7 days. REI 4 hr. Do not exceed 1 lb ai/a per season. Retreatment interval 7 days.
- spinetoram (Radiant SC) at 0.0391 to 0.0781 lb ai/a. PHI 28 days for dry peas, 3 days for fresh peas. Retreatment interval 4 days. REI 4 hr. Do not exceed six applications or 0.94 lb ai/a per season. Follow resistance management procedures on the label. Do not apply to seedling leafy vegetables grown for transplant within a greenhouse, shade house, or field plot. Armyworms only.
- spinosad (Success) at 0.06 to 0.09 lb ai/a. PHI 3 days for succulent peas and 28 days for dry peas. REI 4 hr. Treat eggs at hatch and small larvae. Do not exceed 0.45 lb ai/a per season for green peas or 0.188 lb ai/a for dry peas. Do not feed forage or hay to livestock. Spinosad takes several days to achieve full effect. Monitor fields and pest populations carefully. Multiple applications may be necessary. Do not feed forage or hay to livestock. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
- zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang, Mustang Max) at 0.04 to 0.05 lb ai/a for armyworms and 0.016 to 0.05 for cutworms (Mustang) or (Mustang) or 0.2 to 0.25 lb ai/a for armyworms and 0.008 to 0.025 lb ai/a for cutworms (Mustang Max). PHI 1 day for succulent peas and 21 days for dry peas. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.3 lb ai/a (Mustang) or 0.15 lb ai/a (Mustang Max) per season. Do not apply within 25 ft of an aquatic habitat, 150 ft if applied by air.