A Guide for Scouting Insects of Field Corn in the Mid-Southern U.S‪.‬

Field corn is among the most important cereal crops grown in the world today. Already the dominant crop grown in the United States, it has recently undergone a further increase in acreage. This is particularly true in the Mid-South, where corn has “cannibalized” acreage of other crops such as cotton. Although corn may not require as many inputs as cotton (e.g., PGRs, defoliation, etc.), proper and timely scouting for insect pests can still be an important component of obtaining favorable corn yields. The primary goal of scouting any crop, including corn, should be to minimize input costs and crop damage while maximizing profit for the grower.