As farmers across the Corn Belt continue to battle above- and below-ground insect pests year after year, a comprehensive integrated pest management approach is key to maximizing yield potential, especially in corn-on-corn environments.

The Insect Forecast Tool can help farmers understand their current pest pressure and make more accurate predictions for the following year. Farmers can log on to www.insectforecast.com to learn when corn rootworm larvae are hatching, and to track the migration and moth flights of two damaging above-ground insects, corn earworm and western bean cutworm, throughout the growing season. With online and mobile access, this tool is useful to better understand when potential root damage may occur and to help farmers with their scouting efforts.

Farmers in the Corn Belt can sign up at www.insectforecast.com to receive email alerts from May through September to learn when these insects pose a risk in their area. In 2012, more than 5,000 farmers visited the Insect Forecast site to identify when damage may occur to their corn crop and to make vital decisions for the following year.