Insect Alert For

Black Cutworm

Risk Level:
Moderate Risk Level
Affected Area:
Full page
Alert Details

An active, southwest flow dominated weather pattern is expected to persist for the next few days across especially the southeast two-thirds of the corn-growing region. As a result, south to southwest winds blowing in from source regions in the mid-south and deep south will continue to feed the potential for not only rainfall but also black cutworm moths. Moderate black cutworm migration risks are predicted tonight into tomorrow across far eastern Missouri, central and eastern Illinois, Indiana, far southern lower Michigan, and into western Ohio with Low risks from far eastern Kansas northeast into southeast Iowa, southern Wisconsin, and points east into the southern Great Lakes and eastern corn-growing region not already in the Moderate risk. Low risks continue in the forecast tomorrow night into Thursday as southwest flow remains in place, but winds are not expected to be quite as strong and rainfall contamination may limit the overall ability for more widespread black cutworm moth flights. Little to no risk is predicted from Thursday on, but growers should be aware that while these black cutworm flights do not pose a threat to crops in the immediate short term, there could be generations that emerge that affect corn in the next several weeks.