Greasy Cutworm

Greasy cutworm eat and damage a wide variety of host plants such as tomatoes, beans, brassicas, corn and grass.

Identifying
Young cutworm caterpillars are brown to greyish. When larger the larvae are dark grey with two yellow stripes above, and light grey below. Fully grown larvae may be up to 50 mm long. When well fed the larger larvae are plump, and the skin has a shiny, greasy appearance.
Young larvae feed on leafy growth until they are about one-third grown. At about this time their colour darkens to the typical greasy grey. They then descend to the ground, where they tunnel into the soil, emerging at night to feed, frequently dragging vegetation into their tunnels. It is the larger stages of greasy cutworm that do the majority of damage.
Caterpillars of all stages are likely between December and March.