Dingy cutworms eat leaves on young corn plants and injury is similar to that caused by black cutworms. This insect rarely cuts corn, therefore, it is important to determine if leaf feeding is from black or dingy cutworms. This insect hatches in the fall and overwinters in Iowa as partially grown larvae. Larvae found in corn during late April and early May are usually dingys and not black cutworms. Black and dingy cutworms are identified by skin texture.
Blacks have grainy skin like sandpaper, whereas dingys have smooth skin.
On the dingy cutworm, these tubercles are about the same diameter. Sandhill cutworms injure leaves and cut plants, causing damage similar to that of the black cutworm. However, this cutworm only occurs in areas of very sandy soil. Most of the cutting occurs below the soil surface. Injury first appears as wilted leaves, then as dead plants.