The first black cutworm moth of the season has been captured. Ron Hines, a senior research specialist at the University of Illinois Dixon Springs Agricultural Research Center, sent in the first reports of black cutworms in pheromone traps. On Wednesday, March 23, a black cutworm moth was captured in Pulaski County, and a single moth was captured on March 25 in Jefferson County. Black cutworm moth season is beginning 2 weeks later than last year, when Hines reported the catch of the first cutworm moth on March 9, 2004, in Pope County. In another note, the first true armyworm of the 2005 season was captured in Pope County on March 29.

In addition to black cutworms and armyworms, Hines will be monitoring for several insects this season, including European corn borer, southwestern corn borer, corn earworms, fall armyworms, and Japanese beetles. He monitors traps in Jefferson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, and St. Clair counties. Check his weekly updates in the Hines Report at http://www.ipm.uiuc.edu/pubs/hines_report/comments.html .