The black cutworm does not overwinter in Iowa. Eggs are laid in the spring when moths fly into the state from Texas. Dingy cutworms eat leaves on young corn plants and the leaf injury is similar to that caused by black cutworms. However, this insect rarely cuts corn, therefore it is important to determine if the leaf feeding is from black or dingy cutworms. This insect hatches in the fall and overwinters in Iowa as a partially-grown larva.
Blacks have grainy skin like sandpaper, while dingys have smooth skin.
On the dingy cutworm, these tubercles are approximately the same diameter. Sandhill cutworms injure leaves and cut plants, just like the black cutworm. However, this cutworm only occurs in areas of very sandy soil. Most of the cutting will occur below the soil surface. Injury first appears as wilted leaves, then as dead plants.