Scout fields weekly from transplanting through to harvest. For fields 2–4 ha (5–10 acres) in size, stop at 5–10 randomly selected sites throughout the field. At each site, check several plants (as specified in the table below) for presence and/or numbers of key pests. Scouting accuracy increases with the number of sites. For fields larger than 4 ha (10 acres), increase the number of sites checked by 1 site for every hectare (2.5 acres) in field size. Plants selected for observation should be pre-selected at random before starting scouting to avoid biasing counts by selectively stopping at damaged plants.

Pest Timing Monitoring Method Threshold
Hornworms July to August Stop at 5–10 sites per field and check 20 plants at each site. Record number of larvae on underside of leaves. Treat when population averages 1 or more hornworms per 20 plants. Heavy parasitism of pest insects may delay the need to treat.
Aphids June through topping Stop at 10 or more sites per field and examine 20 plants per site. Check for presence of aphids on underside of upper leaves. Treat when 10% of plants have 50 or more aphids on the upper leaves. Heavy parasitism of pest insects may delay the need to treat.
Cutworms transplanting through early July Select 5–10 sites per field and examine 20 plants per site for signs of cutworm feeding (transplants severed at soil surface or holes in leaves). Treat when at least 5% of plants show signs of cutworm feeding.
Flea beetles all season Look for flea beetles and damage when scouting for other pests. Flea beetles seldom cause enough damage to warrant treatment. Treat only when damage is significant.
Wireworms, seedcorn maggots, grubs first 2-3 weeks after transplanting Check underground portion of plants that appear to be stunted, droopy or dead, for signs of insect feeding. Rule out other causes of this damage (e.g., chemical injury/drift, disease, weather) first. There are no over-the-top treatments for soil insects in tobacco. Replant if more than 10% of plants are killed due to feeding by soil insects.