"istartedi" writes:

This is my first year growing sweet corn in Virginia, and it's a
disaster. Of 32 once promising plants, a little more than half
looks like they will make it. Some got blown over by wind that
reminded me more of October than May. Others are now falling prey
to some mysterious critter that ignores tall weeds sprouting in
other parts of the yard, and vindictively bites cornstalks off at
the base.

Sounds like cutworm. Dig down around a stalk that's just been cut
off, or the next one in the row, and you may find it. A ring of ashes
around each stalk should help deter them. It doesn't take corn long
to get too large for the cutworm to attack.


--
Aaron