Cutworms in Florida

Florida Cutworm Facts

Cutworms are gray or dull brown caterpillars about 1”-2” long. They’re also fat!

Maybe that’s because they love to feast on the stems of seedlings and transplants. You can often spot them curled up at the base of these plants just beneath the soil. You may have to dig a few inches but if they are in your garden that’s where you’ll find them. If you do, destroy as many as you can. Squish’em. Scrunch’em. Just get rid of them! A good tip to avoid Cutworms is to place a paper collar around seedlings or transplants and push it into the soil a couple of inches. Perhaps, add a birdbath to your garden to encourage these natural (and often quite beautiful) Cutworm predators to visit your garden. Of course, if the problem persists, call in an expert and explore a variety of natural and pesticide solutions.