Redbacked cutworm overwinters in the soil either as eggs or larvae. Eggs hatch in March and April as soil temperatures increase. 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.