Black cutworm an important pest of seedling corn is more often a problem in reduced
tillage corn fields because the moth prefers to lay eggs on crop residue and weeds. However,
several of these weeds could serve as nectar sources for Meteorus rubens, a wasp parasitoid of
black cutworm larvae. Parasitized black cutworm larvae damage about 35% fewer corn plants,
and eventually die. Laboratory studies by Foster and Ruesink (1984) demonstrated that wasps
lived 3 to 5 days longer when caged with flowering weeds (common chickweed, shepardspurse,
wild mustard, wild parsnip or lady's thumb smartweed) compared with wasps provided only
water. There were no significant differences between weed species in their effects on the wasp's
survival or reproduction. Plants without flowers did not increase wasp longevity, suggesting that
availability of nectar rather than moderation of microclimate was the factor influencing wasp
survival. When wasps were provided black cutworm larvae to parasitize, the flower-fed wasps
produced 118-217 offspring, while the number of offspring was signficantly reduced (77) for the
water-only wasps. In larger scale greenhouse studies, Foster & Ruesink (1986) examined the
effect of common chickweed on M. rubens survival and parasitism. They again found increased
wasp survival and cutworm parasitism in the presence of chickweed, but the effect was projected
to reduce damage to corn seedlings by only about 5%. The authors concluded that in this case the
beneficial effects of weeds were probably not enough to outweigh the detrimental effects of
weeds in increasing black cutworm densities.
Sources:
M. A. Foster & W. G. Ruesink. 1984. Influence of flowering weeds associated with reduced tillage in corn
on a black cutworm parasitoid,
Meteorus rubens. Environ. Entomol. 13: 664-668.
M. A. Foster & W. G. Ruesink. 1986. Impact of common chickweed, Stellaria media, upon parasitism of
Agrotis ipsilon by Meteorus rubens. J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 59: 343-349.
