How to Stop Cutworms From Destroying Your Plants

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Cutworms are among the more common destructive garden pests that you have to deal with, and the consequences of letting them go unchecked for too long can be severe.

Cutworms is just a general term that is used for any variety of caterpillar that is detrimental to the garden. There are many species whose pupal stage can be called cutworms, and most if not all of them can be harmful to your garden.

There are some climbing species that will climb your plants to eat the leaves, buds and fruits, while there are also subterranean species that burrow in the soil to eat roots. There are also species of the garden pest who will suddenly arrive in great numbers and all but strip a field.

Generally, when you are looking at these garden pests, you are looking at fairly short, smooth, plump caterpillars. They can occur in tan to pink shades, and also in gray, green or black. While some are uniform in color, others are more vividly spotted or stripped.

While some are dull and rather fuzzy looking, others appear quite glossy and sleek. In their adult form, they are usually moths of one type or another, so keep this in mind if you find that your garden is a haven for moths.

What kind of damage do they do?

Like most other garden pests, you will find that they tend to regard your garden as a tasty meal. These insects are often trying to consume enough food to fuel their metamorphosis into a moth, and this process requires an enormous amount of food.

What kind of damage you will see done will frequently depend on what kind you have. The most common and visible damage will be the devouring new leaves, fruit and even stems. Slightly more insidious are the ones that function below ground and consume roots.

How can you naturally treat these garden pests?

The first step is always vigilance. If you can catch a infestation before it goes too far, you will be in much better shape. Frequently check your garden for pests or damage left by them.

Make sure that you remove weeds and plant residues in order keep egg laying sites to a minimum and also till your garden before you plant to kill off winter larvae.

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You may consider putting aluminum foil or cardboard around new transplants that keeps worm larva from eating them. Similarly, encourage birds to visit through feeders, and plant late in the season to miss the worst of the worms. "Wing Trap Kit for Clover cutworm, Discestra trifolli"