A disturbed cutworm will curl up into a tight ball.

Damage caused by cutworms Black, bronzed and army cutworms can cause serious injuries, attacking and cutting new plants nightly. The variegated cutworm can climb the stem of trees, shrubs, vines and garden plants and eat the leaves, buds and fruit. Species such as glassy cutworms remain in the soil. Apr 26, Cutworms are frustrating pests in the garden. They are the larvae (in caterpillar form) of night-flying moths. While the moths themselves do no harm to crops, the larvae, called cutworms, destroy young plants by eating the stems at or near ground level.

If cutworms are attacking your seedlings, you’ll want to know how to get rid of cutworms. “Cutworm” is the name used for the larvae of a number of moth species.

The adult moths lay eggs on plant debris from spring through fall. Some species’ eggs hatch in spring and summer, while others hatch in the fall, with the larvae overwintering in the soil or a woodpile.