Soil moisture must be adequate to allow adult emergence from the soil, and warm temperatures, calm conditions, and adequate moisture during heading are also required by midge for economic injury to occur. Flooded soils will also impact emergence. This may delay expected emergence times based on DD, since soils are kept cooler. Now is the time to start scouting for these insects. Lets examine the problems from a symptomatic stand point rather than describe the life-cycle and biology of each insect.
Cutworms are the larval form of moths.
The head is pale brown with darker brown freckles. Mature worms are 1 inches long. The eggs were laid last summer or fall in the soil where sugar beets are now planted. When suspected cutworm damage is found, check for live cutworms around the damaged plants by digging in the soil at the base of damaged plants. Count and record the number of damaged plants.