The adult moths are inactive by day and may be attracted to lights at night. Cutworm caterpillars reach a length of 2 to 3 inches when full grown.
Some species are dull gray or white in color.
Others, such as the bronzed cutworm, may be marked with stripes and distinctive coloring. Bronzed cutworms , the most common cutworm in lawns, overwinter as eggs that hatch in late winter. The cutworm caterpillar stage feeds on the leaves or roots of the grass in spring. In May, bronzed cutworms become full grown, stop feeding and pupate. Several months later, the adult stage emerges and lays eggs in August and September.