The black cutworm is a sporadic pest that clips early vegetative-stage corn. Scouting for larvae helps to determine if an insecticide application will be a cost effective decision. Scouting dates are based on the peak flight of black cutworm moths and accumulating degree days after the peak flight. The adults migrate north every season, and therefore it can be difficult to determine when moths arrive each spring. After females arrive and lay eggs, degree days are estimated to determine when larvae are capable of cutting corn.