Pest Monitoring Techniques and Supplies

Monitoring for insects and diseases and for plant injury is essential for effective pest management. Knowing which pests are active and when will allow for precise pesticide treatments when needed. Regular monitoring provides information on:
• Early warning of potential pest problems
• Which life stage is active
• Presence or absence of natural enemies
• When to implement control measures
• Whether pest control activities are working

Ideally, vegetable crops should be monitored for pests or for unusual symptoms once per week. Scouting should occur on the same day each week and may take 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the farm size, to do a thorough job.

scouting vegetable field
Field Scouting (Nebraska Extension CropWatch)