Ornamental and Turf Pesticide Applicators Practice Exam

Which method is NOT effective for monitoring cutworms?

1. Using monitoring traps

2. Employing sticky cards

3. Using pitfall traps

4. Setting out pheromone traps

The correct answer is: Using pitfall traps

Monitoring cutworms effectively requires methods that attract or capture these pests during their active phases. Cutworms are primarily nocturnal and tend to remain hidden in the soil or within the surface layer during the day. Using monitoring traps can be effective, as they can be placed in areas where cutworms are suspected to be present and can help gauge their populations. Sticky cards can capture flying insects and provide information about pest presence, although they might not directly target cutworms, they still can give indirect clues about their activity when other pests are present. Pheromone traps are specifically designed to attract certain insects, and while not traditionally used for cutworms, they may still capture related moth species that could indicate potential cutworm issues. Pitfall traps are typically used to capture ground-dwelling insects and they rely on the movement of insects to fall into them. Unfortunately, cutworms do not frequently walk across open ground, especially since they spend most of their time concealed in the soil or plant material. As a result, using pitfall traps is unlikely to provide accurate monitoring of cutworm populations, making this method ineffective for tracking their presence.