Cutworms

Caused by: Agrotis ipsilon
Problem Category: Insect
Symptoms: Stems of young transplants or seedlings may be severed at soil line; if infection occurs later, irregular holes are eaten into the surface of fruits; larvae causing the damage are usually active at night and hide during the day in the soil at the base of the plants or in plant debris of toppled plant; larvae are 2.5–5.0 cm (1–2 in) in length; larvae may exhibit a variety of patterns and coloration but will usually curl up into a C-shape when disturbed
Comments: Favors late tillage and planting; major pest for corn and will start attacking everything else after corn is rotated out
Management: Remove all plant residue from soil after harvest or at least two weeks before planting, this is especially important if the previous crop was another host such as alfalfa, beans or a leguminous cover crop; plastic or foil collars fitted around plant stems to cover the bottom 3 inches above the soil line and extending a couple of inches into the soil can prevent larvae severing plants; hand-pick larvae after dark; spread diatomaceous earth around the base of the plants (this creates a sharp barrier that will cut the Insect if they try and crawl over it); apply appropriate insecticides to infested areas of garden or field if not growing organically
Control: Spary the chiili garlic extract or 5% Neem seed kernal extract to control control worm