Soybean Invertebrate Loss Estimates from the United States — 2025

Soybean invertebrate pests (insects, mites, and mollusks) annually reduce yield and require economic investment to manage in the United States. Pest importance varies yearly, and pest development and yield loss are based on many factors, including weather conditions, crop production practices, variety selection and susceptibility to pests. This publication documents the estimated yield loss caused by invertebrate pests and the economic expenditures on pest management efforts, such as foliar insecticide application, insecticide seed treatment, and field scouting. Data used in this publication is also published in a different format in the journal Midsouth Entomologist by Musser et al., which provides more detailed yield loss and economic data. 

Public sector entomologists and other specialists in 20 soybean-producing states estimated the percent yield loss caused by, and management costs associated with, invertebrate pests in their respective states. The reporting states account for 2.8 billion bushels (66.4 percent) of the total soybean produced in the United States in 2025. The relative proportion of bushels produced in states reporting data is shown in Figure 1. The yield loss estimates include pests that injure roots, stems, leaves, and pods. In 2025, data for South Dakota were included for the first time. 

This publication documents the impact of invertebrate pests on soybean production during 2025, based on yield loss estimates and management costs supplied by state specialists, alone or in consultation with Extension educators or industry employees. Invertebrate loss values were derived using the yield before losses in individual states. The at-planting preventative management cost (use of a neonicotinoid seed treatment, NST) was determined by multiplying the number of acres treated by the per acre cost of an NST. Scouting costs were determined the same way, using a per-acre cost for scouting. In-season management costs (replanting a damaged stand or applying a foliar insecticide) were determined by multiplying the cost of a single treatment by the number of acres treated. When acres were sprayed more than once, each application counted as an acre treated. Data on planted acres, price, and production were obtained from the United States Department of Agriculture – National Agricultural Statistics Service.

2025 Invertebrate Pest Losses

The United States produced nearly 4.3 billion bushels of soybeans in 2025; the value of this crop was more than $43.6 billion USD. In 2025, invertebrate pests reduced soybean bushels by 1.5 percent across the 20 states reporting data. Additionally, overall management costs (at plant and in-season) were estimated at $894.5 million USD, which includes non-targeted insecticide applications. Stink bugs (Figure 2) reduced yield more than any other invertebrate pest in 2025, followed by corn earworm, Dectes stem borer, soybean aphid, soybean looper, grasshoppers, bean leaf beetle, and slugs. Table 1 provides numeric yield loss and targeted foliar insecticide application or replanting cost estimates for all invertebrate pests reported in the survey. Figure 3 visualizes the yield loss proportionally by pest. Table 2 shows per acre estimated management costs by state.

Table 1. Estimated soybean yield losses and costs of applying a targeted foliar insecticide or replanting a damaged stand due to specific invertebrate pests in 20 U.S. states during the 2025 growing season.

¹Does not include seed treatments, crop scouting, and untargeted foliar insecticide application costs. The reported value consists primarily of foliar insecticide application but can include replant expenses due to damage by pests such as slugs and seedcorn maggot.

Table 2. Estimated overall per acre management costs due to invertebrate pests in 20 U.S. soybean-producing states during the 2025 growing season.

¹Includes insecticide applications targeted for specific pests and non-targeted applications consisting mainly of a pyrethroid insecticide tank-mixed with a fungicide or herbicide.

Invertebrate Pests in the Southern Region

(Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia)

This region represented 11.6% of the soybean production in the U.S. in 2025. The overall loss due to invertebrate pests in southern states in 2025 was 5.0%, or 26.3 million bushels. Multiple species of stink bugs caused the greatest loss, followed by corn earworm (Table 3). Soybean looper, slugs, and bean leaf beetle caused the next greatest losses in descending order. 

Table 3. Estimated soybean yield losses due to the five most significant invertebrate pests in southern soybean growing U.S. states¹ in 2025 and associated targeted foliar insecticide costs.

¹ Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia

² Does not include costs associated with seed treatments, crop scouting, and untargeted foliar insecticide application. The reported value consists primarily of foliar insecticide application, but can include replant costs for pests such as slugs. 

Invertebrate Pests in the Great Lakes Region

(Michigan and Ohio)

This region represented 8.4% of the soybean production in the U.S. in 2025. The overall loss due to invertebrate pests in the Great Lakes region in 2025 was 0.01%, or 53,107 bushels. Seedcorn maggot caused the greatest estimated yield reduction (Table 4). Slugs and Japanese beetle caused the next greatest losses, in descending order.

Table 4. Estimated soybean yield losses due to the three most significant invertebrate pests reported to have caused losses in the Great Lakes region U.S. states¹ in 2025 and associated targeted foliar insecticide or replanting costs.

¹ Michigan and Ohio

² Does not include costs associated with seed treatments, crop scouting, and untargeted foliar insecticide application. The reported value consists primarily of foliar insecticide application, but can include replant costs for some pests such as slugs.

Invertebrate Pests in the Western Region

(Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota)

This region represented 46.3% of the soybean production in the U.S. in 2025. The overall loss due to invertebrate pests in the western region in 2025 was 0.8%, or 16.4 million bushels. Dectes stem borer caused the most significant estimated yield reduction, followed by soybean aphid, grasshopper, bean leaf beetle, and stink bugs (Table 5).

Table 5. Estimated soybean yield losses due to the five most significant invertebrate pests in western soybean growing U.S. states¹ in 2025 and associated targeted foliar insecticide or replanting costs.

¹ Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota

² Does not include costs associated with seed treatments, crop scouting, and untargeted foliar insecticide application. The reported value consists primarily of foliar insecticide application.

Summary

These data help create a partial picture of yield losses and economic expenditures caused by soybean invertebrate pests. It is limited because it represents only about two-thirds of the soybean bushels produced in the U.S., as data from several soybean-producing states were unavailable. However, it summarizes the most critical invertebrate pests to soybean production in 2025 for the geography represented. It highlights the impact invertebrate pests have on soybean production and the differences in key pest species and level of injury from region to region, underscoring the need for continued crop protection research and education efforts.

Disclaimer

The authors provided the invertebrate pest loss estimates in this publication. This information is only a guide. The values in this publication are only estimates of soybean yield losses or economic costs due to invertebrate pests. The authors assume no liability resulting from the use of these estimates.

Values in this document were accurate when reported and do not reflect corrections or updates occurring since then. See the Field Crop Disease and Insect Loss Calculator for the most up-to-date values and additional information on yield and economic losses due to invertebrate pests.

References

Data used in this publication is also published in a different format in the journal Midsouth Entomologist by Musser et al., which provides more granular yield loss and economic data.

If you use data from this publication, please cite the original source of the data, which is:

Musser, F.R., Brown, S.A., Bryant, T., Crow, W.D., Davis, J.A., DiFonzo, C., Faris, A. M., Floyd, C., Graham, S. H., Greene, J. K., Hamby, K. A., Kerns, D., Knodel, J., Owens, D., Reisig, D. D., Roberts, P. M., Seiter, N. J., Sisson, A. J., Thrash, B. C., Tilmon, K. J., and Varenhorst, A. J. 2026. 2025 Soybean Invertebrate Losses in the United States. Midsouth Entomologist 19(1) Article 3. Https://doi.org/10.55533/1936-6019.1147.

Production data from the United States Department of Agriculture-National Agriculture Statistics Service. Accessed May 2026.

Acknowledgements

Data Compilation and Summary

Fred R. Musser, Mississippi State University; and Adam J. Sisson, Crop Protection Network.

Authors

Fred R. Musser, Mississippi State University; Sebe A. Brown, University of Tennessee; Tim Bryant, Virginia Tech; Whitney D. Crow, Mississippi State University; Jeff A. Davis, Louisiana State University; Chris DiFonzo, Michigan State University; Ashleigh M. Faris, Oklahoma State University; Chase Floyd, University of Missouri; Scott H. Graham, Auburn University; Jeremy K. Greene, Clemson University; Kelly A. Hamby, University of Maryland; David L. Kerns, Texas A&M University; Janet Knodel, North Dakota State University; David Owens, University of Delaware; Dominic D. Reisig, North Carolina State University; Phillip M. Roberts, University of Georgia; Nicholas J. Seiter, University of Illinois; Adam J. Sisson, Crop Protection Network; Benjamin C. Thrash, University of Arkansas; Kelly J. Tilmon, The Ohio State University; and Adam J. Varenhorst, South Dakota State University.

Reviewers

Travis Faske, University of Arkansas and Damon L. Smith, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Sponsors

The authors thank the United Soybean Board and the United States Department of Agriculture - National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) for supporting Crop Protection Network infrastructure and resources.

How to cite: Musser, F. R., Brown, S. A., Bryant, T., Crow, W. D., Davis, J. A., DiFonzo, C., Faris, A. M., Floyd, C., Graham, S. H., Greene, J. K., Hamby, K. A., Kerns, D. L., Knodel, J., Owens, D., Reisig, D. D., Roberts, P. M., Seiter, N. J., Sisson, A. J., Thrash, B. C., Tilmon, K. J., Varenhorst, A. J. 2026. Soybean Invertebrate Loss Estimates in the United States — 2025. Crop Protection Network. CPN-1029-25. doi.org/10.31274/cpn-20260826-1.