Garden Pests
Carla Goodloe
Articles
Grasshoppers seem harmless enough, but have you ever really thought about what they eat? I'm sure mid-western farmers could tell you all about them. Read about grasshoppers and see for yourself if they are good or bad bugs.
Webworms are similar to tent caterpillars (previous article). Read this to tell the difference. Treatment is about the same for both.
Organic pest control? Don't know what to get, don't know what they do? Are they harmful? Read this article and the links involved and you may be surprised what you find.
Scab disease affects fruit trees mostly. If you see spots when you look at your fruit, read about this problem and how to control it. Or if you just want to know about the disease to prevent it just in case, these methods will help.
Club root is a persistent problem in crucifers and some mustard plant varieties. If you notice temporary wilting during hot days and you know you just watered, you may have this problem. This article goes over what you can do to help the fight against it.
Rots can be pretty gross when you notice you have one. Read this article to learn about the types of rots and what you can do to stop them.
Gall is a common disease caused by fungus, bacteria, or insects. Read this article to find out how to keep it out of your garden.
Stewart's wilt is a bacterial disease caused by infestations of flea beetles. Learn how to control the beetle to control the disease.
Asparagus rust will cut your crop to nearly nothing if left alone. Defend your crops with the methods I specify in this article. Prevention is always the best medicine.
Canker is an ugly eyesore that can ruin your trees. The best prevention is to take extra care of your trees. Read this article if you see black spots or lesions on your trees.
Powdery Mildew, not your ordinary bathroom pest when outside in your garden.
Algae is another plant pest. It doesn't do much more than stunt other plant growth. There are ways to help.
Moss, a pest even though it's not an insect or disease. Invading plants are a different kind of pest altogether.
Leaf curl can do serious damage to certain fruit trees. Read about it and learn how to stop it's spread.
Leaf spot takes on many colors and shapes. It's hard to control. Read about it and see if my suggested methods of control work for you.
Fusarium wilt is soilborne and nearly impossible to get rid of. Read about it and how to control it.
Damping off can wipe out your seedlings overnight. Read about this awful disease and stop your plants from dying before they even get started.
Blight can affect most vegetables, some fruits, and other crops. This article tells you a little about the disease a some method of controlling it.
We've gone over bugs and animals, but did you know that disease is a pest too? Our first disease is Anthracnose. Come check out the pics and see if you recognize the symptoms in your yard.
Gophers not only make a mess of your yard, but they eat your plants overnight. Stop them by trying out some of the tips I have for you.
Deer can destroy a garden just because they are hungry. Take these measures to deter deer from your prize veggies.
Blister beetles not only damage some crops, but they also can kill animals and harm humans. Read about this strange beetle.
Birds love fruits and seedlings. Follow the methods in this article to help keep them away from yours.
Natural Pest Control Solutions
Check this article out for some interesting ideas on using homemade mixtures of ingredients such as alcohol, oil, pepper, tobacco, etc.
More beneficial insects that you can purchase and place in your garden.
Beneficial parasitic wasps are an excellent way to control your pest populations naturally. Follow these easy tips and you'll soon have a garden with fewer pests.
Garlic, Onion, Chive, Pepper, and other sprays
Plant matter sprays are useful tools in preventative maintenance in the garden. If you want to try pepper, onion, garlic, or other plants to deter insects, check out this article.
Bug Juice Spray is very yucky, but it could very well make your yard a better place to grow. Read all about it here.
Early warning devices can save you a bunch of trouble later on. Follow these steps and catch the buggers before they put your garden on the menu.
Rotenone is an organic pest control. Read about it's uses and where you can buy it.
Ever see a golden beetle in your yard? Ever wonder what it was? Well read this article and find out.
Don't let their looks fool you. Pretty though they are, the Yellow Woollybear Moth can create havoc in your yard and garden. Read this and check out what you can do about your infestation.
If you prize your garden veggies, watch out for voles. They sneak in unseen in most cases and your plants disappear overnight. Read this article and see the methods I have and maybe help others of us come up with new ones.
Ever wonder what those spit like masses are on plants? Think they are just some cute bug who likes to blow bubbles? Think again! Check out this article and I'll tell you what they are really all about.
Brown scale can cause stunting or even death of fruit trees and ornamentals. Do you know the best way of getting rid of this pest? Come read this article and find out.
The tarnished plant bug is one of the fruit industries leading pests. If you own a fruit trees or strawberries, read about what this bug can do and find out how to get rid of them.
Onion maggots are the worst pest when it comes to onion pests. Stop this pest or you won't be eating any onions from your garden. Try some of the tips I list and see if they help.
Squash bugs are different from the other squash pests that you may have seen an article on here. Very similar in shape and color as well. But check out what this pest can do to your crops and see a really neat picture of a green one!
Leafminers can destroy your foliage. Protect your plants with the methods in this article.
Cabbage worms are the most widely known of worms in my opinion. They are beautiful, but deadly to your cole crops. Try the methods in this article to put a stop to them. Some of them are fun in my opinion). Check out this article. It's an important one.
European corn borers are not just for Europeans! They are found in North America. Probably came over as an import on some European produce a long time ago. Read this article to see if you have this pest and enjoy a nice webpage with even more information.
Caneborers can ruin your crops of blackberries and raspberries by infesting your canes. Read this article if you grow these two plants.
Carrot weevil can defoliate and kill your plants by eating them from the inside. If you live east of the Rockies, you might come across this pest. Check out the ways to be rid of this pest.
Leafminers damage vegetable and fruit crops. They favor flies or bees. Check out this article if your plants have this pest flying around them.
Tent caterpillars not only make your trees look ugly but they can kill a tree by defoliation. This article goes in-depth about this pest and how to stop it.
The Colorado Potato Beetle is a very popular pest. Everyone generally knows what they are. Try out some of the really cool methods of prevention in this article. They are sure to get a laugh outta you.
Cankerworms, or inch worms, can destroy a forest. Check out this pest and see if you have him lurking about your trees and bushes! This is one ugly caterpillar.
Corn earworms ruin crops of corn and other vegetables. Early prevention is best, but when you can't stop them, use some of the methods in this article to help out. This article has a ton of information so read thoroughly.
Cherry fruit flies ruin crops of cherries, pears, and plums. Put a stop to this pest before they put a stop to your fruit. If you think the apple pest is bad, this one takes the cake. Yuck!
Parselyworm is a beautiful caterpillar. It's the larva stage of the black swallowtail butterfly. They affect all members of the parsley family. Check out this article to see what the beauty can do.
The plum curculio is an ugly beetle. When checking fruit trees, you can't miss them. Read this article and check out its picture if you think you may have this in your trees.
Japanese beetles are very pretty, but also very annoying to gardeners. Check out this article on this bad bug before your crops sucumb to it's dinner time.
Nematodes (and not the good ones)
Nematode...usually you think of the good one that is a predator of other pests, right? Well, not this guy! This one will hurt your plants. Read about this one and how it can hurt your garden.
Weevils eat just about everything. Prevention is the best thing to do, but if you can't prevent them, try some of the other methods found in this article.
Mites reproduce so quickly that if you do not prevent or stop them, you will lose your plants in a matter of days. Read on to find out how to get rid of this nuisance.
Cabbage loopers can destroy your brassicas as well as other plants in a matter of a day or two. If you can prevent them, that is best, but if you find yourself looking at these pests in your garden, check out this article for ways to get rid of them.
White grubs don't normally cause enough damage to worry about, however, if you have a bad season where their numbers grow too large, they can damage your whole lawn and then your garden plants. Take a look at this creature and fine out if you have them in your yard.
Cucumber beetles can damages many crops in your garden. Read all about the types of beetles, what they eat, and how to stop them. Don't let their pretty colors deceive you.
Parasitic wasps are one of the most efficient biological controls for many pests. However, you must get the right kind for the pest you have. Check out this extremely nice insect to have in any garden.
The gypsy moth although beautiful is deadly to trees. Defoliation can kill a plant and this moth does just that. Read all about the moth and the controls used to stomp it out.
The peachtree borer can lessen production in your peach orchards. If you are in the Pacific NW or East of the Rockies, this information is vital for peachtree survival.
Fungus gnats are usually just a nuisance, but heavy infestations and to my dismay, small infestations, can really damage seedlings and young plants. Read this article to find out what they are and how to get rid of them.
Earwigs! Ew! Here is a bit of information for you on this annoying little critter. My information isn't concrete and there are other methods out there, but this will get you started in your hunt for earwig control.
Potato and Beet leafhoppers, though similar, do different kinds of damage to your garden. Check out these hoppers and see if you have them in your garden.
Cutworms will kill seedlings quicker than anything else. They chop them off at near ground level. If you suspect you have cutworms, please read this article to find out how to be rid of them.
Asparagus beetles destroy your young spears by chewing them apart. If you grow asparagus or even ferns (yeah, weird combination eh?), then you may want to look for this colorful fiend.
SLUGS!!! EW! Do you have them? Most likely you do if you wake up and you find your beans without leaves or covered in holes. Find out about this pest and see how to seek and destroy them.
Thrips destroy onion, brassicas, weeds (good point), tomatoes, cucumbers, roses, and other flowers. They can suck the juice out in a very short time. If you have them, read how to stop them.
Robber Flies and Tachinid Flies
Robber flies and Tachinid flies are some of your best beneficials. You don't need to buy them either. So read this article on ways to attract these predators to your garden to eliminate your worst problems!
Although a pretty insect with it's lacey wings, this pest can wipe out azaleas at alarming rates. They may not kill the plant, but the damage they do makes for poor flowers and ugly showpieces in your garden. Read all about how to put an end to this bug in your ...
A neutral pest in most gardens. They can be nice to you but if you plant the right crop, they turn nasty. Read all about this turncoat beetle.
Cabbage maggots...yummy! Sound disgusting? You know it. Read all about the maggot that destroys all cole crops and how to stop it.
A carrot's worst nightmare! Read all about carrot rust flies and how they can damage your carrot crop in the foulest of ways. These pests can ruin your appetite for carrots for a long time.
The horrid whitefly will swarm to your gardens overnight. You must control this pest or they will kill your plants in a matter of days by sucking all the juices out of them. Check out this article to find out how to control the pests.
Fireflies are one of America's greatest insects. They are the most beneficial insects around. Not only are they fun to watch, but they are excellent predators to control caterpillars, slugs, and such.
Pear Psylla exists where ever pears are grown. Natural predators such as ladybugs is your best tool to control them. These pests can kill your whole tree or damage it enough to ruin your whole crop. Please read more about this bug if you have pears.
Flea beetles are very nasty pests. They will destroy total crops if enough of them exist in your garden. Control them with natural means listed in this article. They are quick, so control is very important. They eat vegetables, flowers, and weeds.
Walking sticks are nature's oddity, if you can find one. They don't harm plants enough to warrant killing or treating your plants for them. Controlling them is as easy as moving them elsewhere. They are not beneficial at all, but enjoy them when you see them.
Ant lions are a very interesting creature to observe. They are nice creatures who's larvae (doodlebugs) dig holes in the soil and trap insects at the bottom. They especially love ants. Adults look like dragonflies only they have knobs on the antennae and aren't as pretty.
Bean bandits, aka. Mexican bean beetle and bean leaf beetle, will destroy a crop of means if not controls. Although very different in appearance, both affect pretty much the same plants. The larva stage of both beetles is the most damaging part of their life cycle.
Strawberry Sap and Asiatic Garden Beetle
Strawberry sap beetles and Asiatic Garden beetles are both very naughtly critters to have around. Control them or your garden will perish. Both are similar in looks and shape but both do very different things in the garden.
The squash vine borer will destroy your chances of squash and pumpkins and some other cucurbits. Prevention is the best method of control, but once you have infestation you can use rotenone, Bt, and handpicking. The first sign of damage is sudden wilting of the plant.
Paper wasps are very nice for gardeners, but do not disturb their nests or you'll be stung. They love caterpillars and will harvest those in your garden. Make nests for your wasps and you'll have caterpillar control all season long. However, you don't want hornets or yellow jackets around, they are ...
There are 3 bad stink bugs and 2 good ones. The bad will eat vegetables, fruits, and weeds. The good ones eat weeds and eggs of some other bad bugs. They are more prominent in the south and California.
Aphids are the most prominent of all pests. There is generally a species for every plant that grows. Heavy infestations will kill a whole crop. The use of natural predators is your best bet to keep populations of aphids under control.
Fall armyworms do their worst beginning in July and August in most areas. They can damage a very large corn field in a matter of a couple of months if left alone. The best control is beneficial insects. Bt doesn't work and most chemicals will harm the crops more than the ...
Crickets can be a nuisance,but to some of us, they can be fun. They are a neutral pest. They don't do enough damage to anything to warrant getting out the bug killer.
Pickleworm moths lay eggs on cucurbits. The larvae leave holes in the flowers and leaves. Soon they will burrow into the vines and fruit. The best control is parasitic wasps.
Diamondback Moths leave many tiny holes in leaves and buds. They stunt plant growth and can kill a plant. There are many methods to control this pest.
Tomato Hornworm, Fruitworm, and Army Beetworm
Tomato worms, beet armyworms, and tomato fruitworms all damage the tomato and its plant. Control in the caterpillar stage is extremely important. Each adult moth can become tons of new worms. Squish them, spray with Bt, or get parasitic wasps in your garden.
Chiggers and the horrors they cause to mammals and reptiles. They have no natural enemies so take special care when traveling into the wooded areas of the Southern most states. Gives new meaning to the world's most annoying and unstoppable pest.
Black Vine Weevil and other weevils
Black vine weevil is a widespread pest in the west and east. They feast on berry plants and evergreens mostly. The adult damage is alot less than the larvae damage which can actually kill a plant. Use biological controls to deter them.
Daddy-longlegs are very nice arachnids. Commonly mistaken for a spider, this arachnid is more like a tick, but doesn't bite. Very good pest control for your garden.
Insidious Flower Bugs and Minute Pirate Bugs
Insiduous flower bugs and Minute Pirate bugs are beneficial to gardens all over the US and Canada. If you have a garden, attract these bugs or buy some to get a population started.
Codling moths are one of the most serious pests for fruit and nut growers. They can infest your whole crop in a short period of time. Get rid of them using the many ideas provided in this article.
Harlequin bugs beautiful but serious pests. Control them or your cabbage family and mustard family garden will suffer greatly by wilting, drooping, and eventually death.