Game bird,

Black cutworms are a major corn pest. They usually damage corn by cutting off the stalks above the ground or by tunneling through the roots (presumably eating as they go) underground. The black cutworms (which, when I see them are really a greenish-black) are usually most damaging to corn when the worms are from 1/2" to 2" long. If that is what you have, you normally can find them in your corn plot by digging in the soil around the cut-off stalks with a trowel. They tunnel into the soil, or under clods of dirt, during the day and come out and "work" at night.

It could be something else, but most other pests like rodents or squirrels would eat the corn stalk, and crows would pull up the newly emerged corn stalks roots and all to eat the remains of the corn kernel very shortly after the corn emerges from the ground.

Dawn

For the pests, including rodents, squirrels and crows be discouraged by applying Neem? Or is that like salsa to them?

Barbara

Barbara,

I've never seen any research or anecdotal reports that indicate neem oil has any sort of repellent effect on birds or animals,

Neem is very unique in the way that it tends to work on insects. It is not a quick kill insecticide (although sometimes it does smother very small pests or eggs) but is more slow acting because....they ingest it and take it into their bodies where it has a somewhat hormonal effect, messes with their normal bodily processes, and ultimately leads to their death. It works somewhat differently in different pests. Some of them seem to "forget" to eat so they stop feeding and die. Others seem to "forget" how to molt from one instar to another, or how to mate or how to fly, so their normal survival mechanisms disappear and they die. Nowhere, though, have I heard of it being used in any way as a repellent.

If I wanted to repel something from plants, I'd use a homemade garlic-pepper tea, but I don't think those work on all pests. Birds, for example, generally don't seem bothered by pepper teas although squirrels may be.

Dawn

Do cutworm collars prevent cutworms from chewing through new stalks, or do the cutworms just dig under them?

What about the old thing about putting nails next to new plants - does that work?

Or should I just plant more corn and hope for the best?

Game bird,

Southern cutworms are complicated. There are at least two kinds. One kind tunnels underground and tends to cut off the plants underneath the ground or right at the ground. The second kind (and they seem to be seen only in the southern part of the country) climb the plants a little and can cut them off up to a half-inch or inch above the ground. So, you need cutworm protection above ground and below ground.

I use toothpicks (already described this on the bean thread but will repeat it briefly) stuck into the soil on two sides of the plant. Half the toothpick is above ground, and half beneath, and it helps keep them from completely encircling the seedling. The cutworms can't cut through the seedling if they can't completely encircle it. Some people break bamboo skewers in half, but I don't think you need something quite that tall. Are you talking about using a nail in the same way? If so, I assume it would work. Some people use twigs or popsicle sticks in the same way.

If you replant and just hope for the best, the same thing could happen, so I'd try to dig in the soil and establish whether or not I had cutworms first. If you find them, then you still could replant, but it would be very important that you get cutworm protection in place by the plants the second the growing tip breaks through the soil.

Good luck,

Dawn