Managing soybean aphids in Iowa is becoming increasingly challenging as the insects develop resistance to commonly used insecticides.

To minimize economic losses, farmers should take a comprehensive approach to pest control, considering all available management strategies, according to Ashley Dean, an agriculture and natural resources specialist at Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach, who shared advice during a presentation at the ISU Crop Advantage Series program in Ankeny.

While chemical applications re­­main a viable control method, they should be used sparingly to preserve beneficial insects such as parasitoid wasps — natural enemies introduced to Iowa farm fields decades ago. These wasps lay their eggs inside aphids, ultimately killing the pests from within.

“What it does is sort of...