### animal | larva | caterpillar:

Cutworm
* Many cutworms develop in high grass surrounding putting greens, crawling onto greens when larger.
* Most cutworms are a dull color and have practically no hair
  - gray to black and curl up when disturbed
  - pass the winter as partially grown larvae
* Some cutworms climb the host and feed on unopened buds.
* are a frequent problem in Montana
  - group of caterpillars that cut seedling plants off at or below the soil surface
* are active at night and are either in the soil or under residue during the heat of the day
  - on golf course putting greens
  - among the most difficult insect pests of corn to control
  - easiest to control when they are small
  - famous for cutting off the plants right at the base
  - gray or dull brown fat caterpillars
  - inactive during the day, hiding under clods of soil
  - located in lawns
  - most active and cause the most damage during spring and early summer months
* are nocturnal and burrow into the soil during the day
  - spend the day resting in shallow burrows in the soil near a host plant
  - occasional pests that are treated with pyrethroids to limit the amount of damage
  - plump, smooth and often, greasy-looking
  - primarily active at night
  - still active
  - stout caterpillars with a dull, greasy appearance
* are the larval form of moths
  - soil-dwelling larvae of certain moths
* attack many vegetable crops, grasses, and field crops such as cotton, corn, and peanuts.
* can be a problem for seedlings
  - serious problem for transplants
* can be difficult to control, but understanding their behavior can help
  - scout for because infestations are often irregularly distributed
  - extremely frustrating to the grower because they are difficult to detect
  - enter a greenhouse as moths which fly in and deposit eggs
  - girdle young seedlings
  - occasionally infest soybean fields and cause stand loss
  - remove the soft green outer layer from the predominately woody stem
  - sever the seedling
* cleave seedlings off at or just below the soil line.
* damage cotton in the seedling stage by cutting the plants off at the ground
  - young plants by chewing on the stem slightly above or below ground
* develop in weedy areas, later moving into an alfalfa field
  - through five to eight larval instars
* eat holes in the base of the immature fruit.
* excavate a hole into the ground to hide during the day.
* feed at night and hide in the soil or under debris during the day
  - the soil or under piles of debris during the day
  - mainly at night
* feed on a great variety of plants
  - variety of hosts
  - and destroy large patches of anemone
  - grass blades and cut plants off near the soil surface
  - leaves of seedlings
  - primarily at night or on cloudy days
* generally curl up as illustrated when disturbed.
* have a wide host range and most field crops are acceptable hosts
  - many predators and parasites that help control their numbers
  - one to four generations per year depending upon the species
* hide by day but can be found by scratching the soil from the base of affected plants
  - during the day and are found on the plants mostly at night
  - under debris or in the soil during the day and are found on the plant only at night
* injure established fields by cutting off new growth or feeding on foliage.
* migrate into newly planted crops from surrounding weeds or infested crops.
* munch right through tender seedlings at ground level.
* often recur in the same fields and areas from year to year
  - tunnel into a stalk, but from the ground level
* pass the winter months in the larval stage.
* primarily feed at night.
* pupate in the soil.
* sleep by day and work by night.
* sometimes feed on young plants.
* usually do their feeding at night and hide in the soil around the plant during the day.
* usually feed at night and rest on the surface debris during the day