Canola Watch quiz – Cutworm

1. Which common cutworm species tends to thrive in dry conditions?

Pale western

Red-backed

Black

Dingy

2. How could cutworm scouting change in dry conditions?

Dig a little deeper

Wait until it rains before scouting

Scout in a grid rather than focus on patches

Look for cut plants

3. If you suspect cutworms are the cause of bare patches in a field, where do you look for cutworms?

The middle of the patch

Around plants at the edge of the patch

4. Cutworms can be confused with other worm-like insects and critters in the soil. The book "Cutworm Pests of Crops on the Canadian Prairies" lists four worm-like insects that could be confused with cutworm: Crane fly larvae, millipedes, white grubs and wireworms. Which of the following is a unique distinguishing feature of cutworms when compared to those other four insects?

Abdominal prolegs

Hard head capsule

Curl into a C shape

1-5 cm (1/2" to 2") size