Description
Lady bugs are colorfully spotted, 1/4″ long, red with black spots. They feed on aphids, mites and other soft-bodied insects. They cause no plant damage, making them beneficial insects commercially sold in nurseries.
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Thrip Damage
Thrips scrape openings in plant tissue to feed on plant juices and lay their eggs inside. These minute cuts cause silvery flecks on foliage and silver or brown blemishes on flowers and buds. They chew and suck plants vigorously scraping away the chlorophyl on leaves where they feed. Thrips look … Read More
Squash Bugs
These bugs are diamond shaped, dark brown or black, 1/2″ in size. They hide on the underside of leaves. When they are caught and crushed they emit a foul odor. Squash bugs feed on cucumber, melon, pumpkin and squash. They suck plant juices from the leaves which will show spots … Read More
Snails
Snails have shells, they travel by extending the length of their bodies along a patch of slippery, silvery slime. They eat any and all garden plants leaving large ragged holes in leaves. They feed at night or on overcast or rainy days, hiding under cover when the sun shines. Eliminate … Read More
Parsley Worms
This 2″ long, brightly colored caterpillar with a pair of orange horns, morphs into a large black and yellow swallowtail butterfly. It gets its name, because it is usually found on garden parsley. It feeds on carrots and related plants such as anise, celery, cilantro, dill, fennel, and queen anne’s … Read More
Oak Moths
Oak moths cause visible damage to oak trees through the west. They are tan or gray with a 1″ wingspan and noticeable veining on their wings. They are attracted only to oak trees, chewing leaves, making holes, and eventually defoliating branches. Infestations cannot be prevented. Kill larger caterpillars by spraying … Read More
Leafcutter Bee Damage
The bees that cause precise circles or ovals in foliage are small and hairy, either black, green, purple or blue. They seem to prefer foliage of roses, although any tree or shrub that has a shiny, firm leaf may be cut. Bees are docile and rarely sting humans and can … Read More
Leaf Rollers
Leaf rollers are caterpillars that feed on leaves, shoots, and fruit. Larvae roll themselves up inside leaves, sometimes spinning a web to join fruit and leaves together. Other pests and fungal rots later enter the holes that leaf rollers chew in fruit. Treatment: Thuricide
Leaf Roller Damage
Leaf roller larvae will roll themselves up inside leaves, spinning a web to join leaves together. Other pests and fungal rots later enter the holes that leaf rollers chew. Treat with Thuricide.
Ground Beetles
These insects are shiny black. They can fly, but prefer to crawl. Beetles live in burrows in the soil, emerging to hunt and feed at night on other insects, caterpillars, soil maggots and grubs. Some larger species eat snails and slugs. They do not damage plants. No prevention is needed.
Earwigs
Earwigs are reddish-brown insects that are 3/4″ long. They are easily recognized by the pointy pincers on the tail end of their abdomens. Although they have wings, they rearely fly, preferring to quickly crawl. They are active from spring through fall. Earwigs eat decomposing and decaying wood. They are not … Read More
Companion Planting
Companion planting is a concept that calls for planting two kinds of plants in a bed to discourage insects from attacking one of the two. The most common example is planting marigolds in the vegetable garden. Certain soil loving nematodes attack the roots of vegetables; marigold roots secrete a substance … Read More