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Do you have a lot of garden insects and bugs? Are you wondering what that caterpillar on your tomato plant is? Is it a beneficial insect or is it a pest? How will you know if you should let it stay or get rid of it? Or maybe you just want to know what that weird-looking bug that you found on your squash plant is. You can find the answers to these questions and many more with my in-depth guide to garden insects and bugs.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Below I have provided you with an in-depth guide to garden insects and bugs. You will learn the difference between beneficial insects and pest insects. Discover the different family or order each insect belongs to and description of each. Learn how to control the insect or bug and what to do if you have an infestation. You will be able to identify any insect or bug that you may come across in your garden and learn what that insect or bugs purpose is.

WHY DOES YOUR GARDEN NEED INSECTS AND BUGS?

When you think of garden insects and bugs it's usually not a good thought. You may see ugly worms, pest flies, leaves half eaten, or even your once beautiful plant dead.

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That is not want you want to see in your garden. It does not have to be like that and with a little understanding of which insects and bugs are good for your garden and which ones are bad, you can solve plant issues and grow a healthy, thriving garden.

SOIL

A healthy, thriving garden starts with the soil. You want to start your garden with a healthy soil that contains the right amendments and pH levels (to find out more on soil amendment here is an article on Soil Amendment: How to Improve your Soil).

Plants grow and thrive in healthy soil and they have a better chance at resisting garden insects and bugs, as well as plant disease. Once your soil is ready you will want to pick healthy plants that are insect-free.

PICKING HEALTHY PLANTS

Always buy good-quality plants that appear to be in perfect health. Check the stems, leaves, and roots. Look closely for any signs of pests or any damage to the leaves that has been caused from pest insects. Check on both sides of the leaves for any signs of pests, avoid any plants with stems or leaves that are wilted or discolored. You don't want to take home plants that may already be infested with an insect or bug.

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So, after preparing your soil and then planting healthy plants you are half-way there with controlling the insects in your garden.

BENEFICIAL INSECTS AND BUGS

In the garden you will find insects and bugs that are beneficial to the garden. They sometimes feed on other insect pests or they may provide nutrients to the plant. These are the insects you want to attract to your garden.

Some beneficial insects and bugs (which we will discuss more about later) include:

• Common garden spider • Ladybug • Hoverfly • Centipede • Lacewing • Assassin Bugs • Ground Beetles

These insects and bugs are all helpful to your garden in some form and function.

PEST INSECTS AND BUGS

On the other hand, there are several types of pest garden insects and bugs that you may find in your garden and on your plants, as well as some microscopic insects that you cannot see with the naked eye. These insects and bugs are not beneficial to your plants in the garden. They can be harmful or deadly to your crops so you will want to know what they look like and you will want to be able to identify them.

Some harmful pest insects and bugs include:

• Aphids • Spider mites • Whiteflies • Caterpillars • Codling moth • Cutworms • Japanese Beetles • Potato Beetles • Slugs • Snails

This is just an example of the different insects and bugs you may find in your garden.

We are going to examine eight different families and orders of insects and bugs:

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1. Beneficial Insects and bugs (these could be any number of species from many different orders or families).

2. Caterpillars (Lepidoptera) the insect order containing butterflies and moths. 3. Grasshoppers (Acrididae, Suborder Caelifera). 4. Pests (these could be any number of species from many different orders or

families). 5. Beetles (Coleoptera)in the super order (Endopterygota 6. Borers (most borers are commonly classified according to taxonomic families

within larger orders and most borers species are Coleoptera-beetles, Lepidoptera-moths, Hymenoptera-bees and wasps, and Diptera-flies)

7. Insects at or below ground. 8.True Bugs (Hemiptera) order of insects containing some 50,000 to 80,000

species.

Now, let's break them down even more and identify the insects and bugs found in each group.

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BENEFICIAL INSECTS AND BUGS

Beneficial insects and bugs are helpful insects you want to welcome into your garden. They can be any number of species of insects, with one thing in common, they benefit your plants with pollination or pest control.

Lady Beetle or Ladybird Beetle (Coccinellidae)

Also known as a ladybug, the adults are typically a brick red or orange with black markings. But some are black with red markings.

Their larvae look like miniature alligators. They live up to this appearance by being voracious predators of many garden pests. That's why ladybugs are among the most visible and best known beneficial predatory insect.

450 Different Species

There are more than 450 species of ladybugs in North America. Some are native, and some have been introduced from other countries.

Most North American species are beneficial, with both adult and larvae feeding primarily on aphids, as well as, mites, small insects, and insect eggs, beetles, thrips, and pollen and nectar. They will also feed on their own young.

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Ladybugs overwinter as adults, often in groups or masses along hedgerows, in logs, in ground cover beneath leaf-litter, under rocks and even in buildings or houses. Gathering in masses helps them conserve resources and brings males and females together for reproductive purposes. In the spring the adults set out in search of food and egg laying sites.

To encourage the ladybug into your garden, supply them with food and moisture. Small and shallow-faced flowers provide adults easy access to nectar and pollen. Plant Alyssum, herbs from the dill and mint families, and flowers from the daisy family.

Parasitic Wasps

Although there are several tiny parasitic wasps, the most common are the Ichneumon wasp, Braconid wasps, and the Chalcid wasps.

You are more likely to see the work of these tiny parasitic wasps then the wasp itself. You may find the work of a parasitic wasp on the back of a tomato hornworm. They look like a grain of white rice. Also, you may find a black or golden aphid mummy with a hole in it. That is all work of the parasitic wasp.

Unlike yellow jackets or other wasps that sting, very few species of parasitic wasp sting. And these wasps are so tiny you will not even know they are there.

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Ichneumon Wasp

This species of Ichneumon wasps attack garden pests such as cutworms, corn earworms, white grubs, and various caterpillars.

The largest of the parasitic wasps, the adult range in size from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches, sporting longer antennae's, slender bodies with 16 or more segments. Females usually have a long needle-like appendage used for egg laying purposes.

Color may vary with some being drab while others are brightly colored. An some have black and yellow bands like stinging wasps.

The life cycle of the Ichneumon begins with the mother injecting eggs into a host's body-usually a grub, caterpillar, or pupa. They may need a certain species of insect as a host.

Female Ichneumons search over tree trunks looking for larvae of wood-boring insects: once detected, the female injects her eggs in the larva. Her young hatch and devour their host, pupate, and emerge to begin the cycle again.

Control

Ichneumon play a huge role in controlling pest insects including:

• Tomato hornworm • Boll weevils • Wood borers

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Braconid Wasp (Braconidae)

These wasps make up the second-largest family in the order Hymenoptera. They are tiny wasps ranging in length from 1/16 inch to 5/16 inch, with stout bodies. Most are dark with some color markings but are hard to see without magnification.

The female Braconid wasp deposits her eggs inside the host insect's body. The young hatch and pupate, killing the host. They emerge from their host and begin the next cycle of life.

Control

Braconid pest hosts include various species:

• Aphids • Garden webworm • Tomato hornworm • Army worms • Strawberry Leafroller • Tent Caterpillars

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• Various others

Chalcid Wasp (Chalcidoidea)

These very small wasps range from 1/64 to 5/16 inch in length. This small Chalcid wasp is usually black or yellow with transparent wings and the Chalcid wasps do not fold their wings when at rest like other wasps.

This group includes the well-known Trichogramma wasp.

The Chalcid wasp is available commercially for pest control purposes. They are effective parasites in the garden.

To encourage the parasitic wasps in your garden, supply them with food and moisture. Adult wasps feed on nectar and pollen. By planting small and shallow-faced flowers in your garden you provide these wasps with easy access to a food supply.

When you plant Alyssum, herbs from the dill family and flowers from the daisy family you will attract these beneficial wasps to your garden.

Remember: If you have a bird bath or pool in your garden, place stones in water so wasps have a place to land and drink safely.

Control

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Chalcid wasps are effective parasites that attack many insects including:

• Aphids • Armyworm • Cabbage worm • cabbage Looper • Corn Borer • Corn earworm • Cutworm • Codling Moth • Strawberry Leaf roller • Tomato hornworm • Webworm

Lacewings (Neuroptera) or Net-winged insect

Lacewings are found throughout the United States. The adult lacewings are slender and bright green with long antennae's, having four membranous wings, all about the same size, with many veins. They have chewing mouthparts, with large lateral compound eyes.

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The adult lacewing feeds on pollen and nectar and the honeydew produced by aphids and scales.

Eggs of lacewings are laid in groups with each egg held aloft on a threadlike stalk. Eggs hatch in three to five days: the larval stage lasts about two to three weeks. Pupation lasts about five days, and adults live for four to six weeks. Females lay about 200 eggs in their lifetime. There can be up to three to four generations per year.

The larvae are yellowish-gray and mottled with brown. They have large mouthparts and in general have three pairs of thoracic legs, each ending in two claws which are used for piercing and sucking prey. They reach 3/8 inch long before they pupate.

You can attract lacewings to your garden with food and moisture. Plant small shallow-faced flowers to provide nectar and pollen for feeding. Also, you can plant Alyssum, dill, and daisies to attract lacewings to the garden.

Remember: Provide a safe drinking place by putting rocks in your birdbath for a safe landing place.

Control

Lacewings are predators of many garden insects including:

• Aphids • Mites • Thrips • Whiteflies • Other soft-bodied pests and their eggs

Lacewings are often called the aphid lion. Because they can eat 200 or more pests or their eggs per week between hatching and pupation.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (butterflies or moths). Below, you will find out about six different caterpillars, learn how to spot them, and what to do about them. The first one we will discuss is the tomato hornworm.

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Tomato Hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata)

The tomato hornworm (from the order Lepidorptera) is found throughout the United States. This five-spotted hawkmoth is a brown and gray moth with orange spots on its body and has a 4 to 5-inch wingspan and is part of the Sphingidae family. In caterpillar larvae stage they are big fat green caterpillars that can be up to 5 inches long.

This stage is when they do most of the damage to plants. You will find these caterpillars feeding on leaves and fruits of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and potatoes. If you see leaves with large holes and severe defoliation, devoured flowers, and/or scarring on fruit surfaces, you have tomato hornworms.

After overwintering in the soil in 2-inch reddish-brown spindle-shaped pupa's the adult hornworm, commonly referred to as five-spotted hawkmoth emerges in late spring to early summer to lay their eggs. They lay greenish-yellow eggs on the undersides of leaves.

Caterpillars feed for about a month then enter the soil to pupate (undergo a complete metamorphosis from caterpillar to moth).

There is usually one generation per year in the North and two or more in the south depending on the climate.

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Controlling Tomato Hornworms

Tomato hornworm moth

1. Handpicking is the best way if you have the time and patience. The caterpillars are not dangerous and do not sting. You can drop them in a bucket of soapy water or feed them to your chickens.

2. Also, you can use the organic pesticide Bt. (Bacillus thurigiensis) which acts as a stomach poison on some insects but does not harm plants or animals.

3. If you use an insecticide you should first check with your local Cooperative Extension for a list of approved insecticides in your area.

4. Prevent tomato hornworms by tilling soil at the beginning and the end of each season to kill the larvae overwintering in the soil.

5. Wasps are a beneficial insect that feeds on tomato hornworms. They attach themselves to the back of the hornworm, creating what looks like a grain of rice. The hornworm will then soon succumb to the parasitic wasp.

Some plants that may keep tomato hornworms away from your tomatoes include:

• Dill • Basil • Marigolds

These plants are also excellent companion plants and keep many pests away.

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Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella)

Codling Moth feeding on an apple core

The codling moth is a member of the Lepidopteran family Tortricidae and is found everywhere apples are grown and is one of the major pests of this crop. This is because the larvae are not able to feed on leaves, they are dependent on the fruits as a food source and can have a significant impact on agricultural crops.

What other crops will Codling Moths Attack?

Codling moths also attack pears, crabapples, apricots, and quinces as well as walnuts and stone fruits.

Caterpillars bore small holes in the fruit, usually at or near the blossom end. Once inside the pinkish-white worm with a brown head feeds on the flesh leaving a sawdust-like frass (dropping). Infested fruits often drop prematurely off trees.

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Codling moth larvae overwinter in cocoons under loose bark on the tree or under debris on the ground. In midspring they pupate, emerging in late spring as grayish brown moths. The females lay an average of 50 to 60 eggs on leaves, twigs, and fruits. The larvae feed briefly on the leaves before tunneling into the fruits. After feeding for 3 to 5 weeks, they emerge and crawl down the trunk in search of a spot to pupate.

Depending on the climate, you may see up to three generations per year.

Controlling Codling Moths

1. You can scrape loose bark in early spring to remove overwintering cocoons. Then spray with a horticultural oil to eradicate eggs and first-generation early instar stages. You can also band tree trunk with corrugated cardboard strips to provide a site for larvae to spin their cocoons. Remove and destroy the strips after cocoons have formed.

2. Also, you can use a microscopic, worm-like parasite, the beneficial nematodes. They actively hunt, penetrate and destroy immature stages of this pest. Spray trunks and branches as well as the soil around the tree to kill the pre-pupae larvae.

3. In severe infestations you can use plant-derived insecticides. Use when 75% of petals have fallen, followed by three sprays at 1 to 2- week intervals.

4. Natural pesticides have fewer harmful side-affects than synthetic chemicals and break down more quickly in the environment.

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Cabbageworm (Pieris rapae)

The cabbage worm is found throughout the United States. This group of insects is from the family Pieridae, type genus Pieris (garden whites). It is the larva of a common white butterfly with three to four black spots on its wings. In its caterpillar or larvae stage it has fine, short fuzz and is bright green.

The damage done by these caterpillars is similar-to the cabbage looper-the pests chew large ragged holes in the leaves of cabbages, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collards, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, radishes, rutabagas, and kohlrabi. Also, they bore into the heads, leaving trails of dark green frass (droppings).

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There can be several generations per year.

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Cabbage Looper (Trichoplusia ni)

The cabbage looper can be found in every region of North America. The caterpillar is smooth and green with white or yellowish stripes. It got its name because it arches its

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body as it crawls, like an inch worm. It makes this looping motion because it does not have any legs in the middle of its body.

The larvae of a brownish-gray nocturnal moth, the looper is very destructive to plants due to its voracious consumption of leaves. They chew ragged holes in the leaves, leaving a dark green frass (droppings) on the leaves of cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, as well as tomato, cucumber, and potatoes. Later in the season they bore into the developing heads of these plants.

The caterpillar lays tiny yellowish-green eggs on the undersides of leaves. Hardly noticeable to the naked eye. It is usually not the caterpillar you notice first but the damage it causes.

You may see several generations of these per year.

Controlling Cabbage Loopers

There are several natural remedies and methods you can use to safely and effectively remove cabbage worms from your garden.

Here are some plants that are known to deter cabbage loopers and they include:

• Allium • Borage • Garlic • Nasturtium • Onions • Rosemary • Sage • Tansy • Thyme • Tomatoes

1. Plant these flowering plants and herbs near the plants you want to protect to attract natural predators, such as spiders, ground beetles, yellowjackets, and wasps, as well as sparrows, skylark, and goldfinch skylark.

2. Crop rotation is another way to naturally reduce future pest populations. Every few years plant a different type of crop in each section of your garden.

3. To prevent the caterpillar from overwintering remove old and dead plant debris as quickly as possible.

4. Tilling the soil between plantings help destroy the eggs and pupa. 5. You can hand-pick them off, but it tends to be a losing battle if you have an

infestation of any kind. Put them in a bucket of soapy water to kill them. 6. Also, you can cover your plants with a light-weight nylon so the butterflies cannot

lay their eggs on the plant's leaves. But you will want to be sure to do this before

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you see any signs of the pest because your net could prevent natural predators from eating the worms.

7. Sprinkling dry cornmeal or flour on damp leaves will kill the worms. After they eat it, they bloat and die.

8.You may want to try using diatomaceous earth (also known as D.E. diatomite, or kieselgur/kieselguhr is naturally occurring, soft siliceous sedimentary rock, easily crumbled, consisting of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled protist. It is sometimes used as a filtration aid in soil. Because of its abrasive and absorbing properties, it sucks the insects body fluid causing it to dehydrate and die. Wear a protective face mask and gloves when using this product. You do not want to breath in any of the dust into your lungs. It can be very dangerous!

9. The natural insecticide BT, or Bacillus thuringiensis is very popular with growers. BT is a natural soil-born bacterium that has been used as a natural insecticide for over 50 years. It has been proven very safe to humans and the environment.

Homemade repellant

You could also make your own spray repellant by combining in a blender any combination of the following ingredients:

1. Garlic 2. Mint 3. Onion 4. Hot peppers 5. Horseradish 6. Mineral oil

You will want to mix in equal amounts of water, then add a tablespoon of liquid soap. You will then spray on your plants in between watering.

Pickle Worm (Diaphania nitidalis)

The pickle worm is an insect from the order Lepidoptera and the family Crambidae. Found mainly in the Southeastern United States, the pickleworm feeds on the blossom, stems, and developing fruits of summer squash, pumpkins, and occasionally cucumbers and muskmelons.

Among all the cucurbits, summer squash is preferred, and the most heavily damaged plant.

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The pickleworm can complete its life cycle in about 30 days. In the pupa stage the larva is a light brown in color, and tapers to a point at both ends. This stage lasts about eight to nine days. The adult moths emerge in spring after overwintering as pupae (undergo change from caterpillar to moth) in semitropical areas such as southern Florida and southern Texas. The adult moth is a small flashy moth with wide triangular wings and a wingspan of 1 1/4 inches. The wings are mostly iridescent brown with a central band of semi-transparent yellow. The tip of the abdomen contains a cluster of bush-like hairs.

The adult moth is nocturnal in nature. They migrate northward to lay eggs on leaves, buds, stems, and fruits of susceptible plants. The eggs are minute white or yellowish in color and are found in clusters of two to seven. Eggs hatch in about four days with the female laying some 300 to 400 eggs per female.

Depending on the climate you live in you may see up to four or more generations per year.

Controlling Pickleworms

1. The pickleworm has several enemies, but none will completely suppress the problem. Such predators as the soldier beetle and Red fire ants are known to be enemies of the pickleworm.

2. Because it is so difficult to predict when feeding behavior of the larvae will begin farmers in many areas will use insecticides to control the population. It is advisable to use insecticides with little residual activity and to apply late in the day to help protect the honeybees from being killed by the insecticide.

3. Intomopathogenic Nematodes has been shown to effectively suppress pickleworm damage in squash, where they can kill the young pickleworm before it burrows into the fruit.

4. By planting early, it is often possible to harvest part of the crop before pickleworms appear.

5. Squash can be used as a trap crop to keep the pickleworm from attacking other plants because the pickleworm prefers squash over any other cucurbits.

6. You can use a screen cover to prevent the pickleworm moths from laying eggs but must be removed when plants begin to flower to allow for pollination.

7. Clean away any old or dead debris, including vines, and fruits after harvest to help reduce populations of pickleworms overwintering in the garden area.

8.Choosing plants that have a natural resistance to pickleworms can help control the population. Choose plants such as: Butternut squash, Summer Crookneck squash, or Zucchini (which is somewhat resistant to Pickleworms).

9. Spraying BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) early in the evening is great solution to control an infestation according to specialists at the University of Florida.

10. Neem oil and Spinosad, botanical insecticides are effective against the pickleworm through contact toxicity ( a disruption of insect molting and feeding). Spinosad is derived by microbial fermentation and is effective against pickleworms while being safe to most beneficial insects.

11. Grub Control, which is a unique organic formulation that can be used as preventative or early treatment against young larvae.

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Some natural enemies are:

• Soldier Beetles • Red Fire Ants • Trichogramma wasps • Braconid Wasps

Corn Earworm (Helicoverpa zea)

The corn earworm is common throughout North America and is a species in the family Noctuidae. The adult is an inch-long tan moth that lay yellow eggs on leaves underside in the spring. The caterpillar larvae have alternating light and dark strips that may be green, pink, or brown. It is in this stage that they do the most damage to plants. The life cycle can be completed in about 30 days.

The first-generation feeds on the leaves. Eggs of later generations are laid on corn silk then the emerging caterpillars feed on the silk and the kernels at the tip of the ear just inside the husk.

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This same caterpillar may be the same culprit feeding on a number of different plants including:

• Beans • Peas • Peppers • Potatoes • Squash

You may know the corn earworm by many different names. These names include tomato fruit worm, cotton bollworm, and geranium budworm.

Controlling Corn Earworms

By selecting the best varieties of corn and choosing an early planting date you can have better control over corn earworms. This is because early and midseason there are fewer corn earworm moths to lay eggs on the silk whereas later in the season there are an abundance of moths looking for egg-laying sites.

Beneficial nematodes can be sprayed or injected on silks weekly to control larvae. Also, you can treat the soil by broadcasting the beneficial nematodes into moist soil well ahead of the first frost.

BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) or Spinosad can be dusted or sprayed on silks. Continue weekly until tassels turn brown.

Employ beneficial insects and bugs and damsel bugs. They all will feed on corn earworm eggs and small larvae.

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Grasshopper (Acridomorpha)

Belonging to the suborder Caelifera, grasshoppers are among what is probably the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic period around 250 million years ago.

Although there are almost 9000 different species of grasshoppers, there are about 30 species of grasshoppers in North America that qualify as garden pests.

Grasshopper Damage

Grasshoppers are most damaging in the center of the continent in a band extending from Minnesota and Montana in the North and Texas and New Mexico in the south.

All species and life stages look essentially the same: Long narrow bodies, with long angled back legs suited to jumping, and a head featuring large eyes and chewing mouthparts.

Adult grasshoppers are winged and can fly a good distance, but juveniles are wingless.

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Most grasshoppers overwinter as eggs in untilled soil.

In peak seasons when the grasshopper population is at its highest, they have been known to wipe out entire gardens and fields.

The signs of feeding by young grasshoppers are jagged and tattered holes chewed in leaves and plants.

Controlling Grasshoppers

One strategy is to plant an attractive green border of tall grass or lush green plants around the perimeter of the garden to trap insects and divert them from vegetables and flowers. Maintain with plenty of water and don't mow or you will send the grasshoppers right into your garden.

You can bait the grasshoppers with an insecticide containing carbaryl. Place along your trap crop to kill the grasshoppers.

In some western states a bait containing Protozoan Nosema Locustae is used to kill the nymphs of migrating grasshoppers.

Keep in mind that some sprays used to control grasshoppers are very toxic to bees, natural enemies of grasshoppers. So, you will want to limit your use of insecticides for situations where they might provide a significant level of control.

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PEST INSECTS AND BUGS

A pest insect or bug is one that is detrimental, invasive, troublesome, or causes a nuisance to other plants and animals.

Pest insects and bugs are not welcome in your garden, they are the ones you will want to keep under control or get rid of completely. Below you will find a list of these insects and bugs.

Whitefly (Aleyrodidae)

This pest is found throughout the United States. Whiteflies are soft-bodied, winged insects closely related to aphids and mealybugs. Being as small as 1/2 inch and somewhat triangular in shape and can usually be found on the undersides of leaves. The tiny insects feed in large numbers by sucking plant juices from the leaves and stems of many plants. Whiteflies secrete a sticky, sugary substance called honeydew that may cause the growth of a sooty black fungus on the leaves. Eggs laid on leaf undersides hatch into tiny larvae that look like flat, oval semitransparent scales.

The larvae reach adulthood within about a month of hatching.

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Remember to check any new plants for whiteflies before you purchase them. Although, they are hard to spot, whiteflies are active during the day, so this helps when trying to find them.

Plants attacked by Whiteflies

• Cucumbers • Lettuce • Flowers • Tomatoes • Trees • Shrubs

Aphids (Aphidoidea)

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Aphids are found throughout the United States. You might know the aphid by some other common names such as greenfly, and blackfly. As the name suggests, each species can vary widely in color.

These small, sap-sucking, soft-bodied insects may be green, pink, black, or yellow, depending on the species.

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Some stages of the life cycle are winged, others are wingless. Adult aphids and numphs (young aphids) look alike except in size.

The best way to check for aphids is to look for the presence of two tail pipes (cornicles) found at the end of their abdomen.

Aphids feed on a wide variety of plants, including edible and ornamental plants and can be found on indoor and outdoor plants.

They can be found clustering on tips of new growth and leaf undersides, sucking out the juices and causing the leaves to become distorted and turn yellow. Aphids can cause the plant to a become weak, stunted or have poor plant growth.

Aphids secrete a sugary fluid called honeydew that attracts ants and may cause the growth of a sooty black fungus on leaves.

In small number aphids do little damage, but they reproduce rapidly and can also spread disease among plants.

Controlling Aphids

1. Remove weeds from your garden to reduce potential sites for aphids. The weeds can support large numbers of aphids, by removing them you reduce their chances of survival.

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2. Aphids can grow faster on excess nitrogen. So, by applying less soluble forms of nitrogen in small portions, throughout the season, you will keep aphid growth under control.

3. You can spray aphids with water from a garden hose and knock them off the plants. This can also help wash off any honeydew and sooty mold that may be present.

4. When found in small numbers they can be crushed. 5. Pesticides can be used to control aphids but whenever using any pesticide, choose

low impact, natural or organic pesticides and always follow the directions and use safety precautions. Pesticides such as Neem (azadirachtin) is a plant-based pesticide that discourages aphid feeding causing the aphids to slowly die.

6. Insecticidal soap, horticultural oil and pyrethrum are also very effective at controlling aphids

Natural predators include:

• Lady Beetles • Lacewing larvae • Syrphid flies • Parasitic wasps

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Mealybugs (Pseudococcidae)

Several species of Mealy bugs pose problems for gardeners across North America. They can be found in moist, warm climates. Mealybugs are pink, oval in shape, soft-bodied insects covered with a white waxy, cottony material that serves as a protective coating. Females are rounded, wingless and about 1/16 inch long. If you see fluffy-looking white blobs on your plants, indoor or out, you probably have mealybugs.

Host plants include:

• Apples • Citrus • Grapes • Peaches • Potatoes • Tropical plants-including in-door houseplants.

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These tiny insects appear in clusters on the underside of leaves and clumped in the forks of twigs and branches where they suck plant juices.

As they feed, some species inject toxins that damage plant tissue.

Large clumps of mealybugs may resemble fur or lint attached to a plant. Symptoms of their presence include yellowing leaves and dark dirty patches on leaves, which is a sooty mold growing on the sweet mealybug excretion called honeydew. They can also cause wilting and general plant decline sometimes leading to death.

The pests overwinter as eggs in cottony egg sacs or as tiny nymphs (the juvenile stage, commonly called crawlers).

In regions without freezing mealybugs are present year-round. Colder climates may see two to three generations per year.

Controlling Mealybugs

1. Chemical controls can be used to treat mealybugs. Less toxic alternatives such as insecticidal soap or horticultural oils can be effective but must be applied to the hard to reach places the mealybugs inhabit to kill the insects. These may require several applications to achieve control.

2. Pruning heavily infested plant parts. Be sure to dispose of plant parts immediately since mealybugs can survive on the detached part, as long as it has moisture.

3. With severe mealybug infestations removing and replacing with a healthy plant is the best way to control them.

4. You can try washing them off with water or using a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. This works best when you have a small infestation and may not get all the mealybugs off plants.

5. Some natural enemies include parasitic wasps, and lady beetles.

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Scale (Icerya purchase)

Scale insects can be found throughout the United States.

Scale insects attack various kinds of fruits and ornamental plants, as well as house plants, by attaching themselves to branches, twigs, and the undersides of leaves. Appearing as small bumps scale insects suck sap from plants, robbing them of essential nutrients.

They thrive in warm, dry places. Some species of scale are small, oval and flattened with a protective tan to brown shell-like covering. While others, such as cottony cushion scale is thick, white and covered with a waxy or wooly substance.

Leaves on infested plants turn yellow and the overall vigor of the plant declines. Severely infested plants may die after several seasons.

Mature females feed, lay eggs, and raise families under their protective shell. Eggs hatch into crawlers that feed by sucking plant juices. As they mature, crawlers produce a shell-like covering and lose their legs.

There may be several generations per year.

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Controlling Scale

1. One possibility is to pick off or gently scrub them loose from the leaves or stems. Dabbing each scale with an alcohol-soaked cotton swab is another possibility for lightly infested plants.

2. You can use chemical products like the insecticide spray, neem oil, available at garden centers.

3. For heavy infestation, it is sometimes best to throw away the plants. 4. Insecticidal soap is a safe and effective alternative and can be prepared at home

with bleach-free dishwashing soap )1 1/2 teaspoon per quart of water) and water.

5. An oil spray can be used as well and prepared by mixing 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and 2 tablespoons of baby shampoo in one gallon of water. This can also be mixed with 1 cup of alcohol to help penetrate the insect's shell. If fungus is also present, add 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Shake well before applying. Spray every five to seven days as needed. Coat the leaves well.

6. Always test your home remedies on a small portion of the plant first to make sure it won't harm the plant. Also, never use bleach-based soaps. Do not spray on hairy or waxy-leaved plants. And do not apply to any plants on a hot or brightly sunny day as this will lead to burning the plant and death.

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Spider mites (Tetranychidae)

Spider mites belong to the Acari family Tetranychidae, which include about 1200 species. Adult spider mites are about 0.4 mm long and have eight legs, can be pale yellow to green or orange to brown. Females lay between 50-100 eggs in their lifetime.

Also known as mites, they feed on many different plants. The eggs are laid on the undersides of leaves in dense colonies where they spin a protective silk webs, and cause damage to plants by puncturing the plants cell to feed.

The larva hatch after the last frost and have six legs. Little feeding is done at this stage.

Symptoms of their feeding show up as slivering, or stippling-effect on the leaf top. More severe damage can result in leaf yellowing and leaf dropping. Additional signs include curled and burned leaf edges and leaves that have taken on a leathery texture. Although symptoms can vary with different plants.

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On the underside of an effected leaf you are likely to find spider mite webbing. If you rub the leaf it will feel gritty.

Mites feed on many kinds of plants, including edibles and ornamentals, with houseplants being their favorite target.

Keep a sanitized environment and inspect plant for mites before planting.

Controlling Spider Mites

1. Keep plants well-watered and fed to keep stress on plants to a minimum. 2. Insecticides such as sprays like Neem oil, Pyrethrin, Azadirachtin, and

Horticultural oil. They can be sprayed directly on the spider mites, larvae, nymphs and eggs to kill on contact.

3. Beneficial insects as natural predators. These include Ladybugs, Assassin bugs, green lacewing, and minute pirate bug.

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Thrips (Thysanoptera)

Thrips are minute, shiny, elongated blackish or yellowish slender insects with fringed wings and unique asymmetrical mouthparts. Although the adults have feathery fringed wings the nymphs are wingless.

Without a magnifying glass you probably won't be able to see thrips on your plants, but you may notice sign of thrips presence. Some signs include black, shiny speckles (droppings), slivering, stippling (masses of tiny discolored scars on plant parts), or in severe cases, deformed growth.

Thrips prefer to feed on new, rapidly growing plant tissue where it is easy to hide. Most of the time thrips cause only slight damage, but masses of thrip can be quite destructive.

Feeding thrips can prevent rose buds from opening and results in deformed petals.

Certain species can spread viruses to tomatoes and impatiens.

Thrip usually attack garden plants including:

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• Asparagus • Cabbage • Lettuce • Onions • Peas • Flowers • Fruit trees • Shade trees • Tomatoes • Impatiens • Gladioli • Roses

There can be many generations per year depending on the climate.

Controlling Thrip

1. Clean up any garden debris, weeds, and grass from around your garden area so you eliminate alternate host for the thrip.

2. Be sure to examine any new plants going into the garden. Discard any infested plants by bagging and putting in the trash.

3. You can reduce pest numbers by spraying plant with a strong spray of water that knocks them off the plant.

4. Purchase and release commercially available beneficial insects such as Minute Pirate bugs, ladybugs, and lacewing. Before releasing any beneficial insects, you should first use the strong spray of water to knock down the infestation of thrip.

5. The insecticide pyrethrin can be used to reduce numbers. Then follow up with the predatory insects.

6. Insecticidal soap can be used. It is effective in knocking out infestations and is not harmful to most beneficial insects.

7. Spinosad and neem oil can be used to spot treat heavily infested areas. Thorough coverage is necessary, especially on the undersides of leaves and where leaves attach to stems. These are the areas thrip are most likely to be found in.

Leaf Minor

The most-commonly known species of the leaf minor is the larvae of tiny black flies. The mature larvae tunnel between the upper and lower layer of leaf tissue creating visible trails or miner in the process. They will then cut a hole through the leaf and drop to the ground to pupate. It emerges two to three weeks later as a tiny black fly.

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Adult flies lay eggs on the undersides of leaves. After hatching, the life cycle starts over when the larvae tunnel into leaves to feed. The leaf miner gains some protection from other predators when in between layers.

Many weeds serve as hosts, including lambs-quarter, pigweed, henbane, and nightshade.

Leaf minors are pest to many plants including:

• Beets • Chard • Lettuce • Peppers • Potatoes • Spinach

Controlling Leaf Minors

1. Early detection is important. Check leaves on young seedlings. If you find any signs of small white eggs, mines or hatching larvae you should remove the leaf and discard in trash. If plant is highly infested removal of the plant and discarding it is probably the best chance to protect other plants in the garden.

2. A common method to rid plants of leaf minors is to spray the plant with pesticides. But, with pesticides you must spray at the right time. To determine the right time, take a few infected leaves and put them in a zip-lock baggie. Check the bag daily and when you see small black flies in the bag it is time to spray plants daily for a week.

3. Beneficial insects and bugs can be bought commercially and released into the garden.

4. Clean any weeds and garden debris from the garden area. These are the perfect hosts for leaf minors.

5. Tilling the soil in early spring will kill the overwintering pupae.

BEETLE (Coleoptera)

Beetles are the most common type of insect. They can be found everywhere and are often mistaken for other insects such as true bugs. Beetles differ from other flying insects because of their wings. The first set of wings on the beetle is hardened and thickened. They serve as a protective shield for the fragile flying wings that are folded underneath. The beetle also has chewing mouthparts.

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Below we will discuss nine different beetle insects from the order Coleoptera in the superorder Endopterygota.

Colorado Potato Beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata)

The Colorado potato beetle, also known as the Colorado beetle, the ten-striped spearman, the ten-lined potato beetle, or the potato bug. These beetles can be found throughout the United States, but are found mostly in the Rocky Mountain regions, where they prefer the long colder winters.

This beetle is approximately 10 millimeters long with a bright yellow/orange body and five bold brown stripes, along the length of each of its elytra (wing covers). The larvae are red plump, leaf-feeders that pupate underground and are usually not seen until they emerge as adults in the spring.

The adult beetle lays clusters of yellowish-orange eggs on the undersides of leaves with each mass containing 20-45 eggs.

The larvae of the Colorado potato beetle are a humpbacked larvae red in color with a row of black spots on each side.

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The larvae and the adult Colorado potato beetle chew the leaves of infested plants and can completely strip it of foliage if not controlled, which can result in a reduced yield in crops or sometimes may even kill plants.

There are two to three generations per year depending on the climate.

Colorado potato beetles feed on solanaceous garden plants (nightshade) including:

• Potatoes • Eggplant • Ground cherries • Peppers • Tomatoes • Tomatillos

They may also feed on toxic weeds including:

• Jimsonweed • Nightshade • Mandrake

Controlling Colorado Potato Beetle

1. Organic treatments include applying neem oil which can be used on beetles. 2. Hand pick beetles or use a ground cloth and shake the plant to remove the beetle,

larvae, and eggs and put them into a bucket of soapy water. 3. Use a vacuum to remove beetles, larvae, and eggs. 4. If you have chickens, they will consume the Colorado potato bug for you. 5. Beneficial insects released in the garden such as soldier bugs, ladybugs, and

lacewing will feed on the eggs and the young larvae. 6. Beneficial nematodes will attack the immature stages developing in the soil. 7. Planting vegetables in your garden that attract the Colorado potato beetle include

coriander, dill, fennel, and sweet alyssum. 8.Don't plant solanaceous plants in large groupings. Smaller plantings with other

families of plants in between helps to ward off the Colorado potato beetle among other pests.

9. Spinosad can be used with little or no toxicity to beneficial insects or plants. 10. Diatomaceous earth contains no toxic poisons and works on contact by dusting

the plants wherever the beetles are found. Remember to wear protective gloves and mask when using this product.

11. Neem oil can be sprayed on plants and is approved for organic use. 12. Till garden soil in the Spring and Fall to disturb the overwintering beetles.

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Cucumber Beetle (Acalymma vittatum)

There are two types of cucumber beetles-one is striped and the other having a dozen black spots on its backside.

The adults overwinter in weeds and plant debris. They emerge in spring after last frost and enter gardens once the growing season is underway. You may first see them inside squash flowers or feeding on foliage and stems.

They lay orange eggs at the base of host plants. The eggs hatch into white larva with legs and brown heads that feed on roots of plants.

In colder regions you will see usually one generation, while in the south and milder parts of the west they may see two or more generations per year.

Cucumber beetles are pests to many plants, of course the cucumber but in addition they feed on:

• Squash • Gourds • Melons • Beans • Peas

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• Corn • Blossoms of wildflowers • Cultivated plants • Potatoes • Beets • Tomatoes • Eggplants • Cabbage

The larva of the spotted cucumber beetle is also known as the southern corn rootworm. In addition to corn roots, it infests peanuts, small grains and many wild grasses, as well as roses and dahlias.

Cucumber beetles are more dangerous to their cucumber-family hosts than many pest, because they transmit deadly diseases such as the bacterial wilt pathogen (caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is one of the most destructive bacterial diseases of the Solanaceous family) or Squash Mosaic virus (plants are infected by the saliva expelled by the beetles as they feed upon the plant. The beetles acquire the virus by feeding upon an infected plant and can retain the virus in their bodies for up to 20 days).

Controlling Cucumber Beetles

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1. Inspect new plants before buying and inspect seedling often for the presence of this beetle.

2. You can use yellow sticky traps to catch cucumber beetles. 3. Knock beetles off plant by shaking them onto a ground cloth or a piece of

cardboard placed under and around the plant. 4. Organic insecticides, such as Kaolin clay, pyrethrin, or Spinosad. According to

the UMass Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food and Environment and studies done at the UMass Research Farm, kaolin was the most effective in reducing beetle numbers and feeding damage.

5. Beneficial insects introduced into gardens can help with control of these pest insects.

Here is a list of companion plants you can plant that will repel cucumber beetles and they include:

• Catnip • Dill • Garlic • Onions • Nasturtiums • Tansy • Tomatoes

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Curculio (Curculionidae)

These weevils are a genus of weevils belonging to the family Curculionidae and the subfamily Curculioninae.The Curculio beetle is also known as the plum curculio or the nut curculio. These beetles have long curved snouts and can be found east of the Rocky Mountains and primarily in the North.

Curculios are extremely small, so they are not easy to see. You will more likely spot the damage they cause. This damage is indicated by small, circular scars in the skins of developing apples and pears where they lay their eggs.

After hatching, the larvae tunnel into the fruit leaving browned and misshapen fruits, often causing the trees to drop the damaged fruit prematurely.

You will find the adult beetle spending the winter hiding among fallen leaves and garden debris.

It is important to take preventive action when the beetles become active which is right about the same time apples bloom.

Plants affected by Curculio beetle include:

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• Apple trees • Apricot trees • Cherry trees • Plum trees • Peach trees • Oak trees • Walnut trees • Pecan trees

Controlling Curculio

1. Beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings can help but will not control an infestation.

2. Place ground cloths under tree and shake tree to cause the beetles to fall off. Gather beetles an destroy them. They are best destroyed by fire or you can place them in a plastic bag and secure the top tightly then dispose of in trash.

3. Beneficial nematodes put into the soil will eat the larvae and eggs. Do this early in the spring as soon as temperatures are warm.

4. Attracting predatory birds to your garden to feed on the weevils can help cut down the population of curculio.

5. Insecticides containing for example methomyl, thiaclopride, or deltamethrine. 6. Organic insecticides such as Neem.

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Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica)

The Japanese beetle is a species of scarab beetle. The adult measures 15 mm in length, 10 mm in width, has copper-colored wings and a green thorax and head.

These beetles are found mostly in the eastern United States, although they can sometimes be found west of the Rocky Mountains.

The Japanese beetle can be quite troublesome because the adult feeds on just about any kind of edible or ornamental crop, sometimes invading crops in large numbers.

They chew leaf tissue from between the veins, leaving a lacy skeleton.

Prior to pupating, the 1-inch long white C-shaped grub lives in the soil and feeds on the roots of many plants.

These grubs often are found causing problems in lawns.

The Japanese beetle attacks more than 300 different kinds of plants but the most common plants they attack are:

• Roses • Beans • Grapes • Raspberries

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Try planting these plants near your affected plants to deter Japanese beetles:

• Garlic • Rue • Tansy

Controlling Japanese Beetles

1. Proper watering and fertilizing will reduce the damage caused by these beetles but will not get rid of them.

2. Hand picking is the most effective way to get rid of them, although it can be time consuming, it does work. To get rid of them put them in a bucket of soapy water, this will cause them to drown.

3. Using Neem oil and sprays containing potassium bicarbonate are somewhat effective, especially on roses.

4. Knock them off the plant by shaking them onto a ground cloth and disposing of them in a bucket of soapy water.

5. Insecticides can be used but you should consult your local extension office or garden center to find out about approved insecticides in your area.

6. Geraniums can be planted close to other plants. The Japanese beetle eat the blossoms of the geraniums, get dizzy and fall to the ground, allowing you to dispose of them.

Preventing Japanese Beetles

1. Keep your garden area clean and free of weeds and garden debris. 2. In the spring and fall spray the area with 2 tablespoons liquid soap to 1 gallon of

water. The birds will love eating the grubs that surface from the spray. 3. Add nematodes to the soil to control the larvae. 4. You can use Companion Planting to control the pests. 5. Beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps who are predators of the beetle.

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Mexican Bean Beetle (Epilachna varivestis)

The Mexican Bean Beetle resembles its relative, the ladybug, with its similar size and spots. Although the distinctive bronze background color gives it away separating this pest beetle from its beneficial relative the ladybug.

The Mexican bean beetle is most-commonly-seen in the Southeast United States, and rarely found in the Northwest. Gardeners east of the Rocky Mountains are most familiar with this pest.

In eastern regions, the pest is present wherever beans are grown, while western infestations are in isolated areas, depending upon the local environment and precipitation.

Agricultural Pest

It is a notorious agricultural pest. And it is one of the few North American lady beetles that feed on plants rather than other insects.

The adult beetles have sixteen black spots on their back, eight on each wing. After emerging the adult is a cream-yellow that darken to an orange-brown, bronze color.

The eggs are pale yellow to orangish-yellow in color. They are typically found in clusters of 40 to 75 on the undersides of bean leaves.

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Larvae are fat, hump-backed spiny yellow grubs about 1/3 inch long. The body is covered with rows of stout branched spines, arranged in six rows on their backs.

Both adult and larvae feed on foliage, leaving a skeleton of veins.

The adult beetle overwinters on plant debris, emerging in late spring or early summer to start the life cycle over by laying clusters of yellow eggs on the undersides of leaves.

The Mexican Bean Beetle attacks these host plants including:

• Beans (of course is the preferred host) • Snap beans • Lima beans • Beggarweed (common weed believed to be a natural host) • Black-eyed peas • Soybean • Mung • Adzuki • Velvet bean • Alfalfa • Clover

Plants that may repel or deter the Mexican bean beetle include:

• Rosemary • Marigold

There can be one to four generations per year depending on the climate.

Controlling the Mexican Bean Beetle

1. Hand pick larvae and beetles and destroy them by dropping in a bucket of soapy water.

2. Pesticides (check with local cooperative extension for a list of approved pesticides for your area).

3. Insecticides (check with local cooperative extension for a list of approved insecticides for your area).

4. Beneficial insects in the garden can help keep this beetle under control. 5. Clean all debris from your garden and yard. 6. Till the soil in the spring and in the late fall.

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Flea Beetle (Alticini)

Jumping like fleas when disturbed earned these tiny beetles their name. They are very small, about 1/16 inch to 1/8-inch long with the exception of the spinach flea beetle, which is 1/4 inch long.

There are many pest species with varying markings and colorations. Colors include black, bronze, brown or gray, with the most common of them being the blue-black flea beetle.

Preferring hot, dry conditions, the tiny beetle chew small irregular holes in the leaves of many plants. Seedlings are most susceptible to damage.

Adult Flea Beetle Damage

The adult flea beetle causes the most damage and can spread diseases such as early blight to potatoes or bacterial wilt to corn. And if severe enough damage can result in wilted or stunted plants.

Adults over winter in the soil and on garden debris, hedgerows, windbreaks and wooded areas. Emerging in early spring, the Flea beetle lay single or clusters of eggs in small holes, roots, soil or the undersides of leaves.

The small white larvae hatch and feed on the roots of many seedlings and plants in the garden. The larvae then transform into pupae in the ground.

Flea beetles are a major pest of dichondra lawns.

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Flea beetles attack plants including:

• Broccoli • Cabbage • Eggplant • Melons • Peppers • Radishes • Spinach • Squash • Tomatoes • Turnips • Potatoes

Controlling Flea Beetles

1. Clean up garden and yard debris, dispose of weeds to eliminate any food sources for the flea beetle.

2. Place yellow sticky traps in your garden to see if you have flea beetles. 3. Trap crops, such as Mustard or radish can be planted near garden area to draw

pests away. 4. Treat plants when you see five or more flea beetles per plant. 5. Plant crops as late as possible. Plants grow faster in warmer weather and are

more resistant to flea beetles. 6. You can use row covers but remember to remove when plants start to flower so

pollinating insects can reach the plants.

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7. Beneficial insects such as the braconid wasp kills the adult flea beetle. 8.Pesticides can be used (pyrethrin, carbaryl, malathion, permethrin, lambda

cyhalothrin, or cyfluthrin). Always follow the label directions attached to the pesticide container you are using.

Asparagus Beetle (Crioceris)

There are two common species of asparagus beetles. The common asparagus beetle is bluish-black with six cream colored spots on its back, and the spotted asparagus beetle is reddish-orange with twelve black spots on its back. Both are about 1/4-inch long with oval-shaped bodies and moderate length antennae.

Of the two, the common asparagus beetle is found more often and causes more damage.

Common Asparagus Beetle

Common asparagus beetle larvae are greenish-gray hump-backed grubs with dark or black heads. The spotted asparagus beetle larvae are orange colored.

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Spotted Asparagus Beetle

Spotted Asparagus beetles are often confused with beneficial lady beetles because of their spots and color.

After overwintering in loose tree bark or in stems of old asparagus plants, the adult beetles emerge in early spring laying multiple shiny brownish-black eggs on asparagus shoots, with the eggs hatching in about a week.

The adult and the larvae begin feeding on developing spears, early in the spring then move onto the ferny foliage later in the season. The larvae feed for about two weeks then fall to the ground to pupae in the soil. About a week later, adults emerge, starting another life cycle.

There are two to five generations per year depending on the climate.

Controlling Asparagus Beetles

1. Hand pick beetles off plants and dispose of them in a bucket of soapy water. Begin your search of these beetles as soon as they emerge from the soil, usually in April or early May when asparagus spears emerge.

2. Early harvest of spears shortens the life cycle of beetles. 3. Beneficial insects such as lady bugs and lacewing will consume the eggs and

larvae helping to control these beetles. Parasitic wasps lay eggs on the larval stage, consuming it from the inside out.

4. Birds can help control the beetles by eating both adults and larvae from plants and from the ground.

5. For bad infestations you can spray nematodes in the garden. These beneficial microscopic organisms destroy the pupae right in the ground.

6. Insecticides can be used as a last resort. Spot treat adult beetles with organic insecticides.

7. Clean garden debris and weeds so beetles have no place to overwinter. 8.Till the soil in spring and fall to kill overwintering beetles.

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Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera)

There are two types of these pest rootworms:

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The Northern corn rootworm is found mainly in the Midwest.

The adult beetle is greenish-yellow and about 1/4-inch long.

The Western Rootworm is found all over the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains and is one of the most devastating corn rootworm species in North America.

It has a yellowish-green back with a black stripe on each wing cover.

Both these rootworms are close relatives of each other and can destroy significant percentages of corn if left untreated.

Eggs are deposited in the soil during summer and are football shaped, white and smaller than .10 cm long.

The larvae of these beetles are 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch long, white worm-like grubs that tunnel into and feed on the roots of corn plants, causing them to become stunted, yellow and unstable.

Adult beetles emerge in late July or August and lay orange eggs at the base of corn plants, and then feed on corn-silk, pollen, tassels, and occasionally leaves.

You will most likely see rootworms in a garden with corn that has grown two or more seasons.

Besides corn other host plants include:

• Cantaloupe • Cucumber • Muskmelon • Squash

Because these plants are highly preferred by the adult form of the Western Corn Rootworm-the cucumber beetle-you will find them hiding in your roses and dahlias, and among other garden plants.

Adults of the Northern Rootworm are more likely to abandon corn and seek pollen or flowers of other plants as corn matures.

Controlling the Corn Rootworm

1. Early plantings which result in relatively larger root system, make the plant more tolerant to rootworm feeding and damage.

2. Insecticides can effectively control rootworms. 3. Crop rotation is a consistent, and economical means of controlling

rootworms. Corn rootworm larvae must feed on corn roots to develop and

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mature properly. If they hatch in a field without corn, they will starve because they cannot move more than 10 to 20 inches in search of food.

4. BT. insecticides ingested by the larva leads to death. 5. Beneficial insects including nematodes and parasitic wasps.

Sweet Potato Weevil (Cylas formicarius)

The Sweet Potato Weevil is found in many countries all over the world but, in the United States it is found mostly in the South and prefers mostly tropical regions. The sweet potato weevil is the most serious pest of sweet potatoes and causes damage in the fields and in storage.

The oval shaped creamy white eggs are deposited in small cavities created by the female-with mouthparts-in the sweet potato root or stem and hatch in about six to ten days.

The larvae are about 1/3-inch long, legless white grubs with dark heads that tunnel through sweet potato roots and vines leaving behind frass (droppings) as it feeds and grows.

The adult weevil is about 1/4-inch long, with a pronounced snout. The body, legs and head are long, and thin, giving it an ant-like appearance. The head is black, the antennae, thorax and legs are orange to reddish brown, and the abdomen and elytra (wings) are metallic blue.

The adult can live over 200 days if provided food and about 30 days if starved.

Other Plants damaged by Sweet Potato Beetles

Sweet Potato Beetles feed primarily on sweet potatoes but Railroad vine, and Morning Glories are suitable wild hosts.

Most damage is caused by the larvae tunneling into the tubers causing a chemical reaction that imparts a bitter taste, and terpene-odor to the tubers. The larvae also mine the vine of the plant causing it to darken, crack, or collapse.

The adults feed on the tops of the plant while laying eggs in cavities in the potato or on the vine near the soil surface.

Weevils overwinter in stored sweet potatoes or on nearby weeds such as wild Morning Glories.

There can be as many as eight generations per year.

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Controlling Sweet Potato Weevils

1. Insecticides can be used to help control weevils. 2. Crop rotation is beneficial. 3. Clean garden area of debris and weeds. The discarded tubers and unharvested

tubers can support large populations of weevils if not deposited of properly. 4. Weevils prefer dry soil so keeping a moist environment will help with controlling

them 5. Nematodes released into soil can kill the larvae and are more effective than

insecticides at reducing damage.

BORERS

Next, we will discuss borers. As the name suggest, these insects bore into the plant leaves and stems, or roots.

They are among the most destructive pests in the garden, hiding under bark, attacking edibles, ornamental plants, flowers, shrubs and trees. They destroy water and sap-conducting tissues within the plants.

Borers can be found in many insect groups and usually will develop into either beetles or moths.

Squash Vine Borer (Melittia cucurbitae)

The Squash Vine Borer is a diurnal (active during the day) species of Sesiid moth, native to North America but is found mostly east of the Rocky Mountains. The moth is often mistaken for a bee or wasp because of the way it moves and the bright orange hindleg scales.

The adult is about 1/2-inch long with an orange abdomen with black dots. The first pair of wings is metallic green while the back pair of wings is clear. The back wings are folded at rest and cannot be seen clearly.

The adult moth emerges from a cocoon in the ground and lays its eggs on the stems near the base of the plant in late spring or early summer. The eggs are flat, brown, and about 1/25-inch long.

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In about a week, fat, white caterpillars with brown heads that are about one inch long, hatch out and tunnel into the stems of plants to feed. They cause sudden yellowing and wilting of all or part of a squash vine, eventually killing the plant.

The caterpillars feed for about four to six weeks, then exit the stems and burrow into the soil to pupate until the next summer.

To find the caterpillars that are causing damage cut open the wilted stem lengthwise and you will find a sawdust-like frass (droppings) and usually one or more caterpillars.

The squash vine borers prefer squash but will sometimes feast on other vine crops including:

• Winter squash • Summer squash • Pumpkin • Cucumbers • Melons

The deep south usually gets two generation per year, while the north will get only one generation per year.

You should start checking your plants the last week of June. You can detect these borers by the buzzing noise they make when they fly, or you can fill a yellow container with water. The adults are attracted to yellow and will fly to the container and fall into the water becoming trapped.

Controlling Squash Vine Borer

1. Clean and dispose of any plants killed by squash vine borers. 2. Use floating row covers over your plants when they start to vine, or when you see

a squash vine borer adult. Keep them covered for about two weeks. Uncover so bees will be able to pollenate plants. Don't use row cover if cucurbits were planted in the same area the previous year. This is because the squash vine borers over-winters in the soil near their host plants and could be trapped under the row covers.

3. Crop rotation helps to minimize the borers. You can accomplish this by planting in a different area each year or alternating seasons when growing cucurbits.

4. Pesticides such as carbaryl, permethrin, bifenthrin, and esfenvalerate can be used, treating every 7-10 days. Always follow label directions attached to the container you are using. Also, before using the pesticide, be sure you can treat the fruit or vegetable with the pesticide and determine how long it is before you can consume the crop.

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Peach Tree Borer (Synanthedon exitiosa)

The Peach Tree Borer is a species of moth in the family Sesiidae and are native to North America.

The adult female peach tree borer is a metallic blue-black moth with an orange band around its' abdomen. It has opaque forewings and clear hindwings. The male is smaller and has yellow stripes.

The adults emerge in early summer, the female begins to lay as many as 400 eggs on the trunk of the tree near the soil or in the soil against the tree. The eggs take 10 days to hatch.

The larvae are white to a light tan or brown color and are usually about one inch or more. Despite their size, they are seldom seen as they bore into the tree beneath the bark, entering the cambium layer and making tunnels filled with frass (droppings) and destroying the trees vascular system.

It's in the larvae or caterpillar stage they do the most damage to trees by boring into the bark at or near ground level. The first indications are small piles of sawdust around the base of the tree. Sometimes a gummy sap oozes from the holes.

The peach tree borer will also infest the trees listed below:

• Almond • Apricot • Flowering Cherry • Nectarine • Plum

Young trees are the most vulnerable.

You will find peach tree borers mainly in California but can occur wherever peaches grow.

Controlling Peach Tree Borers

1. Try to not let the borers get established in the first place. They are most vulnerable at the surface before they bore into the tree so clear any eggs found around the surface or just under the soil against the tree. Use a sharp object and poke any holes in the tree where larvae may be to crush the eggs. Also clear away soil from around the tree and if you find any eggs in the soil crush them as well, taking care to not harm the tree.

2. Take care of trees with proper water so they stay healthy and strong. This will help deter infestations.

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3. Use pheromone traps to capture the adults. 4. Use neem oil in the highest recommended concentrations around the crown of

the tree and about 6-12 inches up the trunk. Saturate both the bark and the soil. 5. Citrus extract sprays will repel the adults and discourage egg laying. Spray the

tree crown and trunk just ahead of the moth hatching. 6. BT. (Bacillus thuringiensis), a naturally occurring soil bacteria, will disrupt larvae

and kill them. Spray BT. directly into borer holes after clearing as much of the frass as possible.

7. Surround WP, a powder made of kaolin clay. Coat the base of the tree, the trunk up to 12 inches, and exposed roots with this paste.

8.Spinosad, a pesticide can be sprayed on the tree trunk and into the borer holes. Pesticides can kill beneficial insects and bees so you should use pesticides as a last resort.

9. Apply beneficial nematodes in the spring and fall. They attack the eggs, larvae, and pupae stages. Also, the nematodes keep working throughout the season.

10. Beneficial insects such as the parasitic wasp can help control by parasitizing the visible eggs and just hatched larvae before they move into the tree.

11. Attracting birds to your garden, such as woodpeckers can reduce numbers of borers by eating the larvae on and the under bark.

European Corn Borer (Ostrinia nubilalis)

The European Corn Borer, also known as the European Corn Worm, or European high-flyer is a moth of the family Crambidae and can be found throughout the Northern

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and Eastern sections of the United States, as far west as Montana and as far south as northern Arkansas.

These borers overwinter in the larval stage, pupate and emerge as adults in early to late spring.

The adult female moths deposit clusters of about 15 to 20 creamy white eggs on the undersides of leaves. The oval, flattened, egg darkens to orangish tan color with age.

The pinkish-gray or light brown larvae has a black head, yellowish brown thoracic plate and a body marked with round dark spots on each body segment. They feed on the leaves and tassels of corn plants then, as they mature, they burrow into the stalk and ears of corn leaving behind holes filled with a sawdust-like frass (droppings). A sign of their presence is a small "shot hole" in the leaves.

The European corn borer will also feed on other plants including:

• Tomatoes • Potatoes • Peppers • Lima Beans • Buckwheat • Grain corn • Hop • Oat • Asters • Cosmos • Dahlia • Gladiolus • Hollyhock • Zinnia • Several weeds

There can be one to four generations per year depending on the climate and region you live in.

Controlling European Corn Borer

1. Beneficial insects and bugs such as Ladybugs or green Lacewings. 2. Attracting birds such as the woodpecker and the yellow shafted flicker have been

known to eliminate 20% to 30% of overwintering larvae. 3. Capture the adults with a black-light trap or a Pheromone-baited water trap,

which seems to be the most effective in attracting the moths. 4. Insecticides can be applied to plants usually when the tassels begin to form up

until the corn silks are dry. 5. Clear away any debris from site and till the area in the spring and late fall. 6. BT. (Bacillus thuringiensis) can be effective on the European Corn Borer.

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INSECTS AT OR BELOW GROUND

Many insects such as ants and termites live below ground in colonies, and many others, such as bubble bees and beetle larvae spend at least some of their lives underground. Below we will discuss some of the insects and bugs you will find at ground level or below the ground.

Cutworms

Many surface-feeding caterpillars are known as cutworms and are often mistaken for grubs. Their names reflect their feeding habit, which is to chew plant stalks until they are cut through.

They feed on many garden plants with seedlings being their favorite.

Cutworms emerge at night curling themselves around plant stalks to feed.

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During the day the cutworms hide under litter or an inch or so below ground. And you will find them near the scene of the crime (the plant they will attack).

There are three types of cutworms that feed on:

1. Plant roots 2. Seedlings at ground level 3. Buds above ground level

The adult cutworm is a nocturnal (night-flying) moth that ranges in color from grey to pink, green, brown, and black and can be up to about two inches long. They can be solid, spotted or striped.

Some plants affected by cutworms include:

• Beans • Cabbage • Corn • Lettuce

Controlling Cutworms

1. Make plant collars. Put a 4-inch piece of cardboard around the stem of your plants to stop the cutworm from reaching the stems. Although this is time consuming, it works. Another way to do this is by recycling toilet paper rolls. Cut them in half, stand them up and add soil to plant your seeds in them. When it is time to plant you can put the whole thing directly in the ground.

2. Hand pick them off the plant. Armed with a flashlight and gloves, go out in late evening or after dark and pick off cutworms and place in a bucket of soapy water.

3. Recycle your coffee grounds and eggshells, by placing them around your plants. 4. Diatomaceous earth, a natural powder made from ground up fossils which kills

insects when they walk over it. 5. BT. (Bacillus thuringiensis) is a natural way to kill cutworms. Remember that

this insecticide can harm butterflies, which is an important pollinator. 6. Use preventive measures such as planting later in the spring, cutting off the

cutworm food supply or clearing any debris and weeds from garden site, destroying their habitat.

7. Beneficial insects and bugs such as fireflies, as well as many birds you may see in your garden are natural predators to cutworms.

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Root Maggot (Delia radicum)

The Root Maggot, also known as the cabbage fly, root fly or turnip fly is a pest to many plants. They are the larvae of the cabbage root flies that lay their white eggs in the soil at the base of host plants.

There are several different species that target different host plants. They are sometimes known as cabbage maggot, onion maggot, or root maggot.

The adult root maggot is about 1 cm long and is gray and nondescript, resembling a common housefly. The larvae of the root maggot are white and about 1/4-inch long.

Onion maggots seek out anything in the onion family, including garlic and leeks: cabbage maggots look for any cabbage family plant including broccoli or turnips.

Both the onion and the cabbage root maggots are more common in the Northern half of the United States.

Maggots are most active during the cooler month of spring and fall.

Root maggots disfigure their host crops with their tunneling but can also create rot diseases such as black rot around their entry points.

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Infested plants lack vigor, growth may be stunted, and are prone to wilting during the heat of the day.

Root maggots attack the roots of many other plants including:

• Broccoli • Cabbage • Cauliflower • Carrots • Collards • Kale • Kohlrabi • Mustard • Onions • Radish • Rutabagas • Turnips

Controlling Root Maggots

1. Spread diatomaceous earth around plants while they are seedlings. 2. Floating row covers can be used over seedlings but need to be removed when

plants begin to flower for pollination purposes. 3. Nematodes added to the soil will kill the root maggots 4. Pesticides can be used but need to be used early, before the maggots have

penetrated the root of the plant, where it is difficult for the chemicals to reach the pests. If using apply weekly during the first 8-10 weeks of spring.

5. Crop rotation can help control root maggots. 6. Clean up garden debris, weeds, and any dead vegetation. Destroy any plants

infested with root maggots and do not put them in the compost pile. 7. Cutting back on the amount of organic material in your garden, especially

manure based organic material can help. This is because root maggot flies prefer to lay eggs in soil that is high in organic materials.

Wire Worm

Found throughout the United States these worms are tough slender worms about 1 1/2-inches long with shiny skin and three pairs of legs just behind the head.

Wireworms have a yellowish, golden-brown shell and are the larvae of click beetles.

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They live in the soil where they feed underground on stems, roots, seeds, and tubers of a wide variety of plants. They are rarely a problem, but they are most likely to show up in large numbers in garden soil that was recently covered by sod.

Infected plants soon wilt and die. If infestations are heavy, reseeding will most likely be necessary.

The larvae and the adult wireworm overwinter in the soil. The female beetle emerges in early spring, mates and lays several hundred very tiny, pearly white, rounded eggs in the soil underground.

The eggs hatch in two to four weeks, and the larvae begin looking for food. The larvae can live underground for 2-6 years, doing most of their damage in the spring.

There is one generation every 2 to 3 years with the years overlapping there is various stages of the wireworm each year. With the larvae feeding underground for 2 to 3 years before reaching maturity their life cycle requires 1-6 years to complete.

Plants affected by Wireworm include:

• Beets • Carrots • Corn • Onion • Potatoes • Sweet Potatoes

Controlling Wireworms

1. Planting later in the season when the soil has warmed up some is recommended. This is because the larvae prefer cool soils and dig deeper into the soil when the ground temperature rises.

2. Tilling the soil in the spring and fall will expose the adult and the larvae to predators and weather.

3. Birds will feed on the wireworms. So, make your yard bird friendly by hanging bird houses and feeders throughout.

4. Trap the wireworm with potatoes. Cut one in half and put a stick in it. Bury it about one inch in the soil. Remove the traps in a few days and discard the wireworms.

5. Apply beneficial nematodes into the soil when planting. They attack and destroy any developing pests in the soil.

6. Crop rotation can reduce many pest problems in the garden. 7. Insecticides such as pyrethrin can be effective but should be used as a last resort.

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Fire Ants (Solenopsis)

These destructive ants, sometimes referred to as red ants, or ginger ants, can be found across the entire southern tier of the United States, including North Carolina, Southern Tennessee, Southern Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, and Southern California. They can also be found in mild winter areas of the Southwest and West Coast.

The body of the mature adult fire ant is divided into three sections, their copper brown- head, the thorax and the darker abdomen. The worker ant can be black or reddish-brown and about 2 to 6 mm long.

Winged reproductive forms appear in the spring and early summer. After mating the male dies and the female starts a new colony. Her first eggs hatch in a week, and the resulting worker ants mature in less than a month. A queen can live several years producing more than 1500 eggs per day.

These little creatures with their vicious stings are partial to uninterrupted sun and sandy soil, while they avoid shady, dark areas. They make conical nests as large as 18 inches in diameter and 10 inches high and are commonly found in lawns, gardens, school yards, parks, roadsides and golf courses. If disturbed they attack aggressively, stinging the intruder.

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Unlike other ants, which bite and then spray acid on the wound, fire ants bite to get a grip then sting from the abdomen, injecting a toxic alkaloid venom called piperidine into its victim creating their vicious painful stings. The sting has a similar sensation to what it feels like to be burned (hence the name fire ant) and can be deadly to some.

Fire Ants feed on:

• Germinating seeds • Young shoots • Fruits • Saplings • Insects and bugs • Dead animals

Fire ants provide protection for aphids in order to obtain their sweet excrement (honeydew).

Controlling Fire Ants

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1. The first method of control is to broadcast a fire ant bait over the entire area. You may need to treat a couple of times a year during hot months. This treatment usually destroys 80%-90% of fire ant infestations.

2. The second method requires treating individual mounds with a liquid insecticide poured into the mound, making sure to use enough to kill the queen.

3. You can also use Fire Ant Baits around each mound. Be sure to put them around the mound and not on the mound.

Earwig (Dermaptera)

Earwigs are found throughout the United States. There are about 2000 species of Earwigs in 12 families that make up the order Dermaptera and more than 20 species are found in the United States. They are one of the smallest orders of insects.

The Earwig commonly feeds on insects and plants causing damage to foliage, and flowers.

Earwigs are hemimetabolous, which means they undergo incomplete metamorphosis, developing through a series of 4 to 6 molts. The developmental stages between molts are called instars.

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Adult Earwigs are reddish-brown in color with sharp pincers on their abdomen and membranous wings folded underneath short, rarely used forewings.

The eggs are white or cream-colored and oval shaped. Right before they hatch, they become kidney shaped and brown. The eggs are about 1 mm tall and 0.8 mm wide.

Feeding mostly on decaying organic matter, and other insects you can find them hiding in dark, damp places during the day. Preferring these damp moist places this is where the female lays her eggs, and where you can find them living.

If there is a high population of earwigs, they may feed on a variety of garden plants and insects including:

• Beans • Corn • Celery • Dahlias • Marigolds • Squash • Potatoes • Tender young seedlings • Blossoms and ripening fruits • Slugs • Snails

Controlling Earwigs

1. Prevent entry by sealing all cracks and crevices in out-buildings or houses with a silicon-based caulk, steel wool or a combination of both.

2. Create a perimeter around your house that is free of any organic debris such as leaf piles, mulch piles, firewood piles, logs, or weeds.

3. In-sure proper water drainage around you home to prevent any moisture buildup that may attract earwigs.

4. Diatomaceous earth can be used, causing the earwigs to dehydrate and die. Follow directions on container and do not inhale!

5. Roll up a newspaper, wet it well and tie it securely with string. Put it in a place that you know the earwigs are and they will crawl into the newspaper, becoming trapped and you can dispose of them in the trash.

6. Boric Acid can be used to kill earwigs. It is a natural insecticide that kills earwigs on contact. Sprinkle in area of infestation.

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Nematodes

Nematodes are microscopic round worms that are multicellular insects with smooth, unsegmented bodies and they are found all over North America, although they appear to be a much bigger problem in the South.

Some nematodes are good for plants and the soil because they attack and kill pest insects, and feed on fungi, protozoans and even other nematodes. These nematodes are considered beneficial to the plants and soil and can even be purchased commercially and released into the garden. When purchasing nematodes, it is important to choose the right species because different kinds of nematodes are effective against different pests.

If you purchase Nematodes, remember they need moist, humid conditions and warm soil to do their job well.

Beneficial nematodes can combat a variety of pest insects and bugs including:

• Weevils • Clearwing borers • Cutworms • Sod Webworms • Chinch bugs • White grubs

But there are also many pest nematodes that affect plants and soil as well as animals and even humans.

Both types of Nematodes, have successfully adapted to almost every ecosystem: from marine, (saltwater), fresh water, soils, from the polar regions to the tropics. They have been found in such places as mountains, deserts, oceanic trenches, and even in gold mines well below the surface of the earth.

They represent 90% of all animals on the ocean floor. A spade-full of soil can contain more than a million nematodes.

It has been said that if everything from our planet was removed except for nematodes, much of the topography of the Earth would be recognizable as a layer of nematodes.

So, keep in mind that although generally small and unnoticeable, they have an enormous impact on us and our world.

Pest nematodes feed on many garden plants including:

• Beans • Carrots

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• Celery • Cherry • Tomatoes • Corn • Lettuce • Peppers • Tomatoes • Spinach

Symptoms of a plant infected with nematodes are stunted growth, and yellow foliage. Also, they may wilt in hot dry weather, and can die if badly infested.

The roots may develop small, round nodules on them and have taproots that develop many side roots.

Nematodes are spread through infected soil, water, tools, and plants.

If you think this is a problem in your garden, you should have your soil tested for verification.

Controlling Nematodes

1. One group of carnivorous fungi, (nematophagous fungi) are predators of soil nematodes.

2. Always clean and sanitize tools and containers. 3. Water plants giving them the right amount.

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Slugs and Snails

These shelled creatures (Mollusks) are found throughout North America, particularly in moist, temperate climates.

Since snails require calcium for their shells, they are more likely to be found in areas that are high in the mineral calcium.

Slugs are gray to black or brown and soft-bodied, often with a soft hump in their center, while snails have a hard calcium shell.

Adult or nearly mature slugs and snails overwinter in the soil and emerge in spring or early summer. Both slugs and snails are hermaphrodites. They contain both male and female reproductive organs, so they don't need to mate.

They lay as many as 100 eggs at a time depositing them in soil cracks, underneath dead leaves, in mulch or anywhere it is cool, moist and protected. Eggs develop and hatch in about 1-3 weeks with some needing up to 12 weeks under certain conditions.

Some species of snails and slugs can lay up to 500 eggs per year. Once the eggs hatch, young mollusks stay close to the nest for a few days before they start searching for food. The larvae become adults within 3 to 6 months.

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Both the slug and the snail will feed on almost any plant, especially young tender transplants, leafy vegetables, and succulent plant parts. Slugs and snails thrive in damp, shady spots and can often be found along foundations, under rocks or in well mulched gardens.

Slugs and snails leave irregularly shaped holes with clean edges in the leaves and leave behind a shiny slime trail. They are active mostly at night and in wet weather.

They feed on a variety of plants including:

• Artichokes • Strawberries • Tomatoes • Almost all garden vegetables • Ornamental flowers • Citrus trees and other fruit trees

Some plants believed to repel snails and slugs include:

• Azaleas

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• Apricots • Basil • Beans • California poppies • Corn • Chard • Daffodils • Fennel • Fuchsias • Grapes • Ginger • Holly • Parsley • Peruvian lilies • Pumpkin • Plum • Rhododendrons • Rhubarb • Sage • Swedish Ivy

Controlling Slugs and Snails

1. Keep garden area clean and clear of all debris, including weeds and firewood or lumber.

2. Hand pick them. The best time to do this is about two hours after sunset. 3. A shallow pan of stale beer sunk into the soil can be used to attract pest, which

fall in and drown. 4. Diatomaceous earth creates a barrier that keeps them from reaching plants,

flowers and trees. 5. Boric Acid granules spread around plants can help to eliminate slugs and snails. 6. Organic bait, containing iron phosphate scattered on lawns or in the soil around

plants can reduce the number of pests. This bait kills them soon after they eat it and will decompose in your garden and act as a fertilizer.

7. Chickens love to eat slugs and snails.

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TRUE BUGS

True Bugs or Hemiptera are an order of insects comprising some 50,000 to 80,000 species of groups. They include such species as cicadas, aphids, plant hoppers, leaf hoppers, and shield bugs. They range in size from 1 mm to around 15 cm and share a common arrangement of sucking mouthparts.

Below you will find a description of some true bugs. Also, information about each one and how to control them.

Tarnished Plant Bug (Lygus lineolaris)

The tarnished plant bug is part of the Miridae family of insects that attacks a wide variety of crops. It is coppery-brown in color with piercing-sucking mouthparts and is a major pest, especially for commercial growers. Adults are about 1/4-inch long, and they are oval in shape with white marks or lines behind the head and sometimes along the front wing. They can be found throughout most of North America and it feeds on just about any crop you can plant.

Nymphs are typically green or yellowish with black spots that are visible on the older nymphs. They do not have wings at this stage. Also, they are more destructive during this time. This is because as they feed by sucking the plant sap, they inject toxin into the plant tissue that stunts or otherwise deforms growth.

Adults and nymphs overwinter in weedy patches and organic debris. Emerge in late spring to feed on young weeds and grasses before moving to more favorable crops. Eggs are laid inside of plant tissue, in buds, soft stem tissue, or leaf veins. The eggs hatch in 5 to 7 days.

The Tarnished plant bug goes through five nymph instars or stages to maturity. It can take as short as 12 days to as long as 40 days to reach the adult stage.

When looking for the Tarnished plant bug, remember these insects move very quickly, and the adults fly away when disturbed.

They are at their busiest during mid-to-late summer and is most evident during hot, dry weather. They are especially busy anywhere near alfalfa fields, and recently cut hay.

The Tarnished plant bug has a large appetite for many host plants (it has been recorded they feed on 385 different plants).

Below is a small sample of these plants which include:

• Apples

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• Asparagus • Alfalfa • Beans • Broccoli • Celery • Cauliflower • Carrots • Cotton • Potatoes • Strawberries • Many flowers

Controlling Tarnished Plant Bugs

1. Keep weeds pulled or mowed. This is where the bugs colonize and remain throughout the season. Removing them gives the bugs less places to reside in the garden.

2. Pesticides can be used to control these bugs. Chemical controls should be used when the plant begins to set buds. When using a pesticide for the first time you should test a few plants for phytotoxicity. And keep in mind the chemicals will have no effect on the eggs inside the plant tissue.

3. Insecticides such as bifenthrin, pyrethrin + rotenone, horticultural oils, or insecticidal soaps.

4. Beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps will attack the eggs and nymphs of Tarnished plant bug. Beneficial insects are safe for the environment and they help to reduce the number of bugs, but they will not eliminate them.

Squash Bug (Anasa tristis)

The squash bug, from the family Coreidae is a sap-sucking insect that is part of the Hemipteran suborder Heteroptera. These bugs are found throughout the United States.

The adult Squash bug overwinters in the soil, under garden debris, under rocks, and sometimes in wood piles or buildings. They emerge in the late spring, or early summer and begin feeding. Adult Squash bugs mainly attack squash and pumpkins but can also attack other plants in the cucurbit family including:

• Cucumbers • Muskmelon (cantaloupe) • Squash • Pumpkins • Watermelon

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Elliptical shaped, somewhat flat, bronze colored eggs are deposited on the undersides of leaves and sometimes on the top side of the leaf. The female will deposit clusters of about 20 eggs which may be close together or spread a considerable distance apart. The eggs hatch in 7 to 9 days.

The nymph stage has five instars (stages) and takes about 33 days to complete. Nymphs starts out at about 2.5 mm in length and grow to about 9 to 10 mm in length and are at first a light green in color and progresses to a dark brown or gray.

Adult squash bugs are flat-backed, brownish-gray to black, and about 1.6 mm long. The abdomen is marked with alternating gold and brown spots. The immature nymphs resemble the adults but are pale colored with black legs. The adults can live up to 130 days depending on food sources. The complete lifecycle takes about six to eight weeks.

Squash bugs feed by sucking the sap out of leaves causing them to severely wilt and create yellow spots that later turn brown or black (cucurbit yellow vine disease or CYVD).

Often, if the infestations is bad enough the entire plant will die. Sometimes one plant will die while plants around it will remain healthy.

Plants that repel squash bugs include:

• Calendula • Dill • Marigolds • Nasturtiums • Oregano • White radishes

There is one generation per year in the North and two to three generation in other regions where the weather stays warmer, longer.

Controlling Squash Bugs

1. Beneficial insects and bugs such as the parasitic wasp. Also, a natural predator of the squash bug, the brightly colored, parasitic adult Tachinid fly recognized by its' gold and black thorax and an orange abdomen with feather-like hairs on the outside of the hind legs. Both lay eggs in the adult squash bug then the eggs develop inside and kill the bug when the fly emerges.

2. Insecticides can be used but it is recommended using insecticides with little residual activity to avoid killing pollinators such as honeybees. And apply late in the day when honeybees are less active.

3. Clean and clear garden debris. This is essential to reduce overwintering populations.

4. Crop rotation can help reduce their numbers.

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5. Hand picking them is one of the best defenses when it comes to getting rid of them. Place bugs in a bucket of soapy water to kill them. Best done in the morning or evening when bugs are more active. Also, scratch off to kill any eggs found on the undersides of leaves.

6. Companion planting can help control squash bugs by planting crops that repel the squash bug (see list of plants that repel squash bugs above).

7. Diatomaceous Earth is a powder made up of diatoms (ground-up fossils) that dehydrate the squash bug.

Stink Bugs (Halyomorpha halys)

The Stink bug is an insect in the family Pentatomidae and from the order Hemiptera and the suborder Heteroptera.

Since 1998 various species of stinkbugs have been found throughout the United States with them being more common in the Southern States.

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs are agricultural pests because they cause widespread damage to fruits and vegetable crops.

Stink bugs vary in size, depending on the species with some U.S. species as long as 2 cm. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is brown in color while the Acrosternum hilare Stink Bug is green in color. They share common characteristics such as piercing

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mouthparts as well as wings, which are hardened at the base and membranous at the tips.

Stink bugs have a broad body that is either triangular or semi-elliptical shape, making them almost as wide as they are long, and an antenna which is divided into five segments. Their body serves as protection providing a shield against predators. This is why they are sometimes referred to as "shield bugs"

Immature brown stink bug nymph is yellow and red with red eyes: when reaching adulthood, they turn brown or bluish gray. And the green stink bug nymphs are black in color with underdeveloped wings, upon reaching adulthood, they turn green. As the nymphs grow, they become shell-shaped and may be green, brown, or bluish-gray.

Stink bugs when crushed or are threatened give off an unpleasant odor. They excrete offensive smelling liquid from their thorax glands that are placed between the first and second set of legs. When attacked they produce this liquid defensively in order to ward off potential threats.

Stink Bugs feed on many plants and trees including:

• Apple tree • Beans • Butterfly bush • Citrus • Cucumber • Dogwood tree • Grapes • Sunflowers • Okra • Peaches • Pears • Pecan tree • Maple tree • Squash • Tomatoes • A-number-of other plants

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Green stink bugs have their own preference and are attracted to host plants including:

• Apple trees • Cherry trees • Orange trees • Soybean

They damage plants by sucking sap juices, causing new shoots to wilt and fruits to become distorted with hard dimpled areas.

Adults overwinter in garden debris and in nearby weedy areas.

In early summer they emerge and lay eggs on the underside of leaves. The eggs hatch 4 to 5 days later and the nymphs begin feeding, undergoing a series of molts or changes until they become adults in the fall.

There can be several generations per year.

Controlling Stink Bugs

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1. Grow herbs like mint, basil, borage, coriander, and nasturtium. These plants attract other predatory insects that prey on stink bugs.

2. Synthetic chemicals kill stink bugs but at the same time kill the beneficial insects as well.

3. Clean and clear any debris such as leaves, weeds, or wood piles from the garden area, and from around the house.

4. Hand pick the stink bugs and drop them in a bucket of soapy water to drown them.

5. Vacuum them off your plants outside, or if you have plants inside the house you can vacuum but remember the pungent smell they create. You may not want that odor in your home or your vacuum.

6. Diatomaceous Earth, a powder made from diatoms (ground fossils) that dehydrates the stink bugs and kills it.

Or you could try using one of these two types of Stink Bug traps:

1. Electric trap. Square or lantern-shaped boxes consisting of an illumination light bulb that attracts bugs. This device uses an electrical current to exterminate the stink bugs. They fly into the trap and are killed instantly.

2. Natural sticking traps. Cardboard can be used to make a sticking trap. Cut a square of cardboard or use an old paper bag. Make a paste from water, corn syrup, and sugar. Boil ingredients to thicken and create a paste. Coat the cardboard or bag with the paste and place the trap away from your house and garden area. Stink bugs will be attracted away from the garden and house an become stuck in the paste.

IN CONCLUSION

To have a healthy, thriving garden you must start with the soil. Because, being able to identify any garden insects and bugs that are hiding in the soil, waiting for the right time to attack and destroy what you work so hard to create-your beautiful garden and its' plants-can help you have a head start on obtaining the garden you hope for.

By rotating crops, using companion planting, and keeping a clean garden area you can keep garden insects, and bugs under control. And by being very diligent about scouring your garden plants for insects and bugs and disposing of them properly you can grow a healthy garden full of a bounty of beautiful and healthy flowers, fruits and vegetables.

With the guide above you will be able to identify almost any insect or bug you may come across in the garden area and around your home.

I hope you enjoy using this guide and hope that it brings you the information and guidance you are looking for.

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Happy Gardening from jackie@daisies-n-dollars.com