In corn, cutworm damage shows up as plants clipped off near ground level. The cutworm larvae can often be found in the soil close to the plants. Treatment may be necessary if damage is extensive and the cutworms are small. Potato stem borer injury is sometimes mistaken for cutworms, but these worms burrow into the stalk and stay there. The centre of the plant will wilt and die while the outside leaves remain green.
Damage is most common in headlands and grassy areas.
Billbug injury occurs when the bug bites through the stem of the young corn plant, penetrating the leaves which are wrapped around the stem. When these leaves unfurl, the injury shows up as a row of holes across the width of the leaf. Emergence of the soys has been quite good, with the earliest fields at the trifoliate stage. These fields will be ready for herbicide application within the next week. Weed emergence and growth have really picked up with the recent rains.