Young Western Bean Cutworm Larvae

Some scouts are starting to notice tiny WBC  larvae that have hatched that crawling in the whorl or making their way down to the ear of the plants.  To help you know whether they are WBC larvae, here are some photos.  You can click on them to enlarge them.

They start out with spots along their bodies (spots have tiny short hairs coming out of them).  You will need a handlens to really see the spots.

Newly hatched WBC Larvae (T. Baute, OMAFRA)

Closeup of newly hatched WBC larvae (Photo Credit: Chris DiFonzo, MSU)

Within a few days they start to develop stripes.

2nd or 3rd instar WBC larva (Photo Credit: T. Baute, OMAFRA)

To know for sure that they are WBC, watch how the way.  The itch their way along a leaf like an inchworm.  Click on video to see how they crawl.

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