The trapping season for true armyworm (TAW) and black cutworm (BCW) has come to an end. We appreciate our cooperators for tirelessly checking traps the last two months and reporting their captures so we can provide the most accurate scouting information for these pests. To recap, we had 32 volunteers participate from 31 counties in Iowa. A total of 35 BCW and 34 TAW traps were placed and monitored during April and May.
For the first time during the 2021 moth trapping season, more total true armyworm moths were reported than black cutworm moths. During Week 8 of the Iowa Moth Trapping Network, our cooperators reported 109 total black cutworm (BCW) and 128 true armyworm (TAW) moths.
Week 8 report:
Black cutworm remains the dominant moth species captured by cooperators in our trapping network. During Week 6 of the Iowa Moth Trapping Network, our cooperators reported 73 total black cutworm (BCW) and 34 true armyworm (TAW) moths.
The TAW moths reported during Week 6 were captured mostly in the southern half of the state (Figure 1), while BCW activity was statewide (Figure 2). Most of the moths were reported on May 3 or May 4. One potentially significant flight of BCW occurred in Dubuque County on May 3.
