Release green lacewings, a natural predator of corn ear worms. Spray Bacillus thuringiensis, an organic control for caterpillars, when silks turn brown to prevent corn ear worms from entering. Mix molasses and pyrethrin bait and paint around the base of corn plants to kill the adults as they emerge from the soil. Pyrethrin is an organic pesticide made from a variety of chrysanthemum. Always try the least toxic method of pest control as your first step.
Plant cultivars with tight husks.
Adults will travel great distances to find food. Females lay their eggs on leaves or on the tips of corn ears. Eggs hatch in three days, the larvae then feed for two to four weeks, then pupate in the soil surrounding the corn plants. Adult moths hatch in 10 to 25 days. It is possible to have as many as four generations of corn ear worms in one year.