Gotcha!

[Susan W]

Something has been beheading seedlings, just leaving stem, and before they are big/strong enough with true leaves. This done Without a Trace. Well this AM, checking the babies and thinning some out, came across not one but two of the culprits. A caterpillar, non-descipt grey-grown, about 1/2" long.
Am I the only one with this issue? As much as I should check at night, probably won't happen. Best for me is to do a close inspection in AM.

Next thing today is to Bt the thyme and savory. They have the caterpillars from h*ll. Again, think I'm the only one so honored. Arghhh!!

[rainbowgardener]

yeah, beheading the seedlings like that sounds like cutworms.

[catgrass]

I second cutworm. Make some collars to put around your plant stems. Push into the ground around them until the plant is well established. Paper towel cylinders or toilet paper cylinders (cut them about 2 inches high or so). Or, cut out small water bottles, soda bottles, etc.

[ElizabethB]

DITTO Catgrass on collars. I have problems with cutworms on fall plants like cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. Paper towel and toilet paper rolls make great collars. When I plant my starts I insert them in the tube and bury about 2" of the tube. No cut worms.

Good luck

[Susan W]

This could be one of the cutworms. The critters are plain, not striped, but act like the same as in curling up in defense when bothered. The odd thing is they leave the 1" or so of stem standing and just get the first (not true) leaves. Usually leave the starts with a few leaves alone. There may be 3-4 sprouted per pellet, and then find 2 beheaded. Putting collars on them? Well pinky ring size perhaps. These are seeds started in peat pellets, set on a sheltered shelf on deck.

Now that I uncovered 2 of the marauders, will check daily for damage. If seen, will do the check for more critters.

[applestar]

They could be baby climbing cutworms.