How to Set Up Sticky Traps in a Corn Field
March 31, 2018
Scouting is an important part of understanding the insect pressures you might face in a given season. To prevent yield loss, you’ll want to be as informed as possible on the conditions of your field. Below are instructions for setting sticky traps to measure the impact of corn rootworm for this season and the next.
Step 1
It’s best to set up sticky traps on a weekly basis at corn silking and continue through the dent stage (mid-July through August). Find a place for the trap at eye level.
Step 2
Knock off leaves around the ears to make sure they don’t get stuck on the trap in the wind.
Step 3
Open up the sticky trap and bend it so the yellow sticky side is exposed. Thread in the tie and secure it on the stalk at about corn ear level.
Step 4
Calculate the number of beetles on each trap you collect. If it is greater than two beetles per trap per day, next year’s corn will be at risk for corn rootworm damage and planting corn with below-ground protection like SmartStax® technology is recommended.
Learn More
For information about the devastating impact corn rootworm can have on your corn plants, click here.