The value of a pest management scouting program comes from the site-specific information that assists with decision making. Without this information, a farmer often must rely on guesswork to apply a control. Scouting is used to sample and assess field populations of pests to determine whether the potential for economic loss exists within a particular field. Scouting provides an informed estimate of population numbers and the stage of European corn borer development on the corn plant. Cost of scouting field corn for insects usually ranges from about $3.00 to $7.00 per acre for the season. Attempting to control European corn borer without scouting is economically ineffective.