Wilson
Bros Nursery is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 7 DAYS A WEEK!
Insect/Pest
Control
(Scroll
down to view insect/pest images and remedies)
There
are several ways to control insects in the landscape
and garden. Controlling insects in your landscape
or vegetable garden can be a challenge. From strictly
nonchemical to applications of insecticides, the
approaches to insect control are as varied as
the people who garden.
Many homeowners accept some insect damage, while
others will tolerate none. The level of damage
you deem acceptable largely determines the level
of control required. Insecticidal control (applying
chemicals) is still one of the quickest, easiest
ways to control insects. But use it only when
absolutely necessary. Sticking to a strict spray
schedule is a waste of money in most cases. It
may actually create pest problems by killing beneficial
insects that eat other insects. And it's generally
not good for the environment.
Read
and follow the instructions for safe mixing and
application on the label of each pesticide you
use. Pay close attention to the plants or crops
a pesticide can and can't be used on. Concerning
vegetables, pay close attention to the the amount
of time required between the last application
and harvest.
Gardeners
willing to tolerate some insect damage can generally
grow their plants with minimal use of insecticides.
Some insects are always on the move - here today
and gone tomorrow - and do very little serious
or long-term damage during their short visit.
A few others others will stick around for a while
and may cause serious damage to plants and lawn
grasses if left unchecked.
Below
are images to help you identify the most common
outdoor insects and pests found in Zone
8 and surrounding areas. Listed to the right
of the images are remedies we use to control,
repel, or eliminate these insects at the nursery
and in our home landscape and gardens. Again,
Read
and follow the instructions for safe mixing and
application on the label of each pesticide you
use. Pay close attention to the plants or crops
a pesticide can and can't be used on. Concerning
vegetables, pay close attention to the the amount
of time required between the last application
and harvest.
1
Aphids
INSECT
ORNAMENTALS
FLOWERS
VEGE'S
& HERBS
HOUSEPLANTS
Remedies:
Malathion
Insecticidal
Soap
Bayer
Systemic
Neem
Oil
Remedies:
Malathion
Insecticidal
Soap
Neem
Oil
Remedies:
Malathion
Insecticidal
Soap
Neem
Oil
Remedies:
Insecticidal
Soap
Neem
Oil
Crape
Myrtle Aphids
INSECT
ORNAMENTALS
More
Information
Remedies:
Malathion
Insecticidal
Soap
Bayer
Systemic
Neem
Oil
These insects can be identified
on crape myrtles and gardenias by
a black, sooty mold that appears
on the top side of the leaves and
small branches in late summer or
fall. The mold results from a non-parasitic
fungus which grows on "honey
dew" excretions from the aphids.
It is a common problem on crape
myrtle when the crape myrtle aphid
is not controlled. The unsightly
coating of the sooty mold fungus
can be easily wiped or washed from
the plant parts. It does not damage
the shrub or tree unless it coats
the tree heavily. We usually leave
these insects alone as the problem
occurs late in the season just before
dormancy.
Cutworms
INSECT
VEGETABLES
LAWNS
More
Information
Remedies:
Sevin
(Carbyrl)
Remedies:
Triazicide
Insecticidal
Soap
In
the garden or lawn plants are
girdled at the ground. Fall and
spring cultivation in the vegetable
garden will help reduce populations
of overwintering larvae. Insecticides
are effective if applied in a
timely manner and directed at
the soil around the base of plants.
Scale
INSECT
ORNAMENTALS
More
Information
Remedies:
Malathion
Bayer
Systemic
Neem
Oil
Scale insects are very small, soft-bodied
pests that secrete a protective
covering over their bodies. These
coverings vary in color from white
to red to black. Some are flattened
while others are more turtle-shaped.
This covering protects the scale
and makes control difficult. Scale
insects are most easily controlled
when insecticide applications are
timed for the first instars or "crawler"
stage of the scale. We've seen these
insects most on euonymus and camellia.
Fire
Ants
INSECT
ORNAMENTALS
More
Information
Remedies:
Acephate
Dust
Fire ants pose a medical threat
to people and animals. Their mounds
also detract from the appearance
of the landscape and can damage
lawn care equipment. For the homeowner,
we suggest individual mound treatment
using acephate dust. In the late
afternoon or evening, apply dust
on top and around mound at rate
recommended on container and in
the morning the entire mound will
be dead. Do not water chemical in.
Do not disturb the mound. Acephate
is more effective than any other
product we have tried. One can treats
from 54 to 108 mounds.
Japanese
Beetle
INSECT
ORNAMENTALS
LAWNS
ROSES
FLOWERS
Remedies:
Liquid
Sevin (Carbyrl)
Remedies:
To
control the Japanese Beetle grub:
Triazicide
Granules
Remedies:
Liquid
Sevin (Carbyrl)
Remedies:
Liquid
Sevin (Carbyrl)
Lace
Bug
INSECT
ORNAMENTALS
More
Information
Remedies:
Malathion
Sevin
(Carbyrl)
Neem
Oil
These insects are primarily found
on azaleas. Presence of lace bugs
can be identified when the leaves
on your azaleas have tiny white
spots on the upper leaf surface
and black or brown spots on the
lower leaf surface. Lace
bugs can be controlled with sprays
such as Sevin or Malathion. The
systemic product imidacloprid (Bayer
Advanced Shrub and Tree Insect Killer)
also will control these pests. Make
2 applications at a 10 day interval
with all products except Bayer in
which one early spring application
should be sufficient.
Leaf
Miners
INSECT
ORNAMENTALS
FLOWERS
VEGE'S
& HERBS
Information
Remedies:
Sevin
(Carbyrl)
Remedies:
Sevin
(Carbyrl)
Remedies:
Sevin
(Carbyrl)
Presence
evidenced by white tunnels in leaves by
larvae.
Mealybug
INSECT
ORNAMENTALS
FLOWERS
VEGE'S
& HERBS
HOUSEPLANTS
Remedies:
Sevin
(Carbyrl)
Insecticidal
Soap
Neem
Oil
Remedies:
Sevin
(Carbyrl)
Insecticidal
Soap
Neem
Oil
Remedies:
Sevin
(Carbyrl)
Neem
Oil
Remedies:
Insecticidal
Soap
or
remove by hand
Slugs
INSECT
OUTDOORS
More
Information
Remedies:
Slug
& Snail Bait
Beer,
Yes Beer!
Slugs
rasp on leaves, stems, flowers and
roots. They produce holes in the
leaves or just scar the leaf surface.
Small seedlings in the garden can
be especially vulnerabIe to these
creatures. Silvery slime trials
are evidence of slug infestations.
Beer traps are very effective in
controlling slugs. Empty cans buried
up to the lip and partially filled
with beer can be effective slug
traps. Beer should be changed every
few days to remain effective. You
can also place jar lids on the ground
or patio and fill them with beer.
Spider
Mites
INSECT
ORNAMENTALS
More
Information
Remedies:
Triple
Action
Insecticidal
Soap
Neem
Oil
Spider
mites, often called "red spiders,"
are most often found on the backs
of leaves. They are so small they
can barely be seen with the unaided
eye. We see them more on junipers
than any other plant. If you notice
junipers turning yellow or brown
it may be evidence of spider mites.
To be sure, shake the foliage over
a sheet of white paper. If you see
small red specks crawling around
on the paper these are spider mites.
Treat plants as soon as possible
with insecticide following instructions
on package label.
Spittlebug
INSECT
ORNAMENTALS
FLOWERS
VEGE'S
& HERBS
LAWN
Remedies:
Malathion
Remedies:
Malathion
Remedies:
Malathion
Remedies:
Malathion
Whitefly
INSECT
ORNAMENTALS
FLOWERS
VEGE'S
& HERBS
HOUSEPLANTS
Remedies:
Malathion
Insecticidal
Soap
Remedies:
Malathion
Insecticidal
Soap
Remedies:
Malathion
Remedies:
Malathion
Insecticidal
Soap
Again,
Read
and follow the instructions for safe mixing and
application on the label of each pesticide you
use. Pay close attention to the plants or crops
a pesticide can and can't be used on. Concerning
vegetables, pay close attention to the the amount
of time required between the last application
and harvest.