Individual larvae feed for 5 to 8 weeks. Most of the damage occurs in late April, May and early June. When mature, the larvae pupate in earthen cells in the soil. Moths are active at night. Females deposit eggs during late August and early September.
Embryonic development occurs immediately.
However, eggs of this species do not hatch until the following spring. There is only one generation each year. These cutworms are most common east of the Cascade Mountains. Wilted plants cut off at the soil surface and slow-growing mint in the spring may indicate the presence of cutworms. The larvae can be seen on the foliage or the soil surface on warm nights with a flashlight.