Bug FAQNew Zealand Cutworm
Ichneutica mutans · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: grey-brown cutworm, Common Garden Owlet
Source: Wikipedia
New Zealand Cutworm (Ichneutica mutans) is a pale, cinereous moth with distinctive black and fawn markings on its forewings. Its caterpillars feed on many herbaceous plants and crops, making it an agricultural pest.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Adults are pale grey with black marks along the wing edge, a cloudy fawn-coloured disk, a distinct submarginal whitish line bordered by black and brown, and clear orbicular and reniform spots.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The body measures about 6 to 7 mm long and the wings span 14 to 16 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in many native and modified habitats across New Zealand.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat a wide variety of herbaceous plants, including pasture grasses, weeds like hawkweed, and crops such as turnips, peas, wheat, and apple leaves and fruit. Because they feed on these crops, they are considered an agricultural pest.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Pupation occurs on the ground or among moss. In the North Island up to four generations may develop each year, while the South Island usually has two.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adult moths can be seen flying throughout the year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is endemic to New Zealand.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is variable and can be confused with I. averilla, I. petrograpta, and I. bromias, though the latter does not share its range.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What crops are affected by the cutworm?
The caterpillars damage turnips, peas, wheat, apple trees and various pasture and weed plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations are there per year?
Up to four generations may occur in the North Island and about two in the South Island.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichneutica_mutans
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.