Hi Julie,

They look like (fall) armyworms - ick! You may recall last fall (or maybe 2002) when Maine had a HUGE problem with them? They "troop" thru fields and feed at an unbelievable rate! Definitely feed them to your chams and any that you don't, well, I am not one for smushing lep larvae but here I would (and have) make an exception. They feed on numerous ornamental plants. The army are major crop pests. The cutworms are the ones that cut your plants at soil line. They spend the day in the soil and at night come out and will decapitate seedlings and you will see only the remains of a moonlight massacre!

If they drop and curl into a "c" when disturbed they are cutworms. They are just as destructive as armyworms
here are some pix.

this shows both army and cut:
http://entomology.unl.edu/turfent/documnts/cutworms.htm

http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/field/fall_armyworm.htm#host
http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/riceDoctor_MX/image31.jpg

so other than the usual pesticide precaution it would be just fine for them to be dinner for your chams

lele

Link


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