With harvest season approaching, now is a good time to scout crops for insects and crop diseases.

"It is way easier to tell what went wrong with a crop before it is harvested," said Alison Robertson, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach field crops pathologist. "A dead plant tells no tales."

This summer, there seems to be more insects in field crops than in previous years.

"It doesn’t mean they are at economic levels, but insect activity should be monitored this growing season," said Erin Hodgson, ISU Extension and Outreach entomologist. "Farmers should base foliar insecticide...