Is it Cutworms?

Question:My corn is laying down cut close to the ground.Is it cutworms? If so, what can I do to stop them?

Answers:
Damage includes leaf feeding and stand loss due to cutting off entire plants. Black cutworms do most of their feeding at ground level. Larvae feed on young plants, cutting off leaves, or in later instars, entire plants. Usually, it is necessary to dig in the soil to find cutworm larvae and to determine the extent of the infestation and the size of the cutworms involved. Here is a site that discusses cut worms and their damage to corn:

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2000/...
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/1997/...

Eliminating weeds 2 weeks before planting both within and adjacent to the field can help to minimize cutworm problems in an organically managed crop.

In small gardens, barriers around plants can prevent serious cutworm damage. By encircling individual plants with cardboard or metal "collars" pressed 2 to 3 cm (1 in) into the soil, gardeners put up "fences" the cutworms cannot cross. Such a method, however, is not practical for large acreages.

PERMETHRIN (Ambush) - Apply as a foliar application before brown silk stage. Do not apply more than 1.2 lb a.i./acre/season.

CHLORPYRIFOS (Lorsban) - Not for use on popcorn. Avoid drift and tailwater runoff into surface waters. Do not apply more than 6 pt/acre/season. Do not make more than 3 applications/season.

CARBARYL (Sevin) - Ground or air application. Use only fresh bait. Apply in late afternoon or early evening so bait stays fresh longer. Avoid direct application to lakes, streams, ponds. Do not apply when weather conditions favor drift from treated areas. Do not contaminate water, food, or feed when cleaning equipment or disposing of wastes.