Blacklight trap equipped with a 15-watt bulb (M. E. Rice)

After the whorl is pulled, early-stage larvae can be counted as the leaves are unrolled.

Early-stage European corn borer larvae can be scouted by pulling the upper three to four leaves from the whorl and then unrolling the leaves to count the larvae.

Larvae of European corn borers usually do not survive on corn until it gets "knee high" because high concentrations of a chemical known as DIMBOA in younger plants typically kill the insects.

Scouting for eggs masses of second generation European corn borers requires searching the undersides of numerous corn leaves.