More time is needed when scouting for more than one pest. As the scout becomes familiar with the pests common to each block, scouting time may be reduced without reducing effectiveness. Scouting with a pest in mind . Whenever a block is scouted, all pests observed should be noted. However, usually when a scout makes a trip to a field, it is with the goal of finding a certain pest, or pests, commonly active during that time of year.
Some pests are easy to scout for at the same time, such as rust mites and spruce spider mites.
Both of these pests require walking the block in the same pattern, looking at the same type of foliage, and keeping track of the number of trees examined. However, some pests are not easy to scout for at the same time. To look thoroughly at both places is difficult. The basic scouting calendar . In western North Carolina, the basic pests of Fraser fir Christmas trees include weeds, the balsam woolly adelgid, spruce spider mite, and balsam twig aphid.