The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Let's talk about insects, the good, the bad and the ugly. I read on several blogs about different pests and whether or not they are good or bad. I decided to find out...I turned to my trusty sidekick.... Or as I like to call it...The Southern Living Garden Bible. If you live in Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, & North Carolina and DO NOT own this book....stop reading this post and go buy it now! It will be the best investment you every make. It tells you everything you need to know about gardening.

Let's discuss pest management

The Good

Darla....this one is for you Skinks....Darla....let them live!!!!

Skinks eat crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, worms, snails, & slugs....need I say more? There little green cousins eat the same.

" Darla, please let me live. I will eat all your pesky insects"

Parasitic wasps

These wasps are sold at some garden centers. They lay they eggs on larvae, pupae or eggs of other insects, thus destroying them. They are not harmful to humans.

Tachnid Fly

As scary as it may look, they only feed on nectar or larvae of other insects such as armyworms, cutworms, stink bugs, beetles.

Syrphid Flies

Also known as hover flies or flower flies. They resemble bees, and eat aphids, other soft bodied insects, pollen and nectar.

Soldier Beetles

These beetles are about 3/4" long, and eat aphids and other soft bodied insects.

Nemetodes

These include several species of microscopic worms. They're effective against 100's of pests that spend their lives in the ground, such as cucumber beetles, cut worms, fire ants, flea beetles, grubs, root weevils, and sod web worms. They do not harm earthworms.

The Lady Bug

They feed on aphids, mealybugs, and eggs of many insects. You can purchase them through mail order catalogs. It is better to keep them in a cage for a few days in your garden, and release them at night. This encourages them to stay in your garden....not sure why, but that's what the book says! Lacewings

This little critter is about an inch long. It is a flying insect with lacy, netted wings. They devour aphids, leafhoppers, mealybugs, mites, thrips, & whiteflies. They also feed on nectar, pollen and honey dew from garden plants. Larvae are commercially available.

Damsel bug

About 1/2" long, they have no wings. Feed on aphids, grasshoppers, small caterpillars

Ground Beetles

Most are shiny and black, about 1/2" to 1" long. They eat caterpillars, other insects, cutworms, soil-dwelling maggots, and grubs. Larger species eat slugs and snails.

Assassin Beetle

1/2"-3/4" long, have long legs and long angled antennae. Some are bright red/black, some are brown or gray. Pray on many insects by stabbing their victims with long, curved beak (Hey I am writing what the book says).

The Bad

Whiteflies

Size: 1/8" long

Description: winged insects that fly up when you brush or touch a plant. It excretes as it feeds, attracting ants and creating sooty mold

Diet: Plant juices

Habitat: Warm, still air of greenhouses. Flourish year round in Coastal, tropical areas. Garden infestation occur when transplanting indoor plants outside.

Control: No matter what your climate check the under sides of bedding plants purchased from garden centers

Root Weevil

Description: Various

Diet: leaves, flowers, bark of rhododendron, yew, grape and other plants. The larvae consume the roots

Control: Beneficial nemetodes, Acephate can be used to control adults on non-edible plants.

Cutworms

Description: hairless larvae of night flying moths. Feed at night, over cast and humid days

Diet: eat young plants by cutting them off at the ground

Habitat: Garden beds

Control: Encircle new plants with a aluminum can, bottle, cup, etc., with both ends cut off, place around the plant, slightly pressing it into the ground. It should extend 1" to 2" both into the soil and above the ground. Encourage natural predators such as ground beetles, and nemetodes. Spread earthworms around young seedlings to deter cutworms.

Thrips

Size: Almost microscopic

Description: Light dark brown, adults are less than 1/20 of an inch long

Diet: Flower, leaf tissue by sucking juices. Cause discoloration to leaves, fail to open normally.

Control: Natural enemies include lacewing, pirate bug, mites, spiders. Insecticidal soaps work and horticultural oils will help

Cucumber Beetle

Size: 1/4"

Description: yellowish orange with black stripes

Diet: Chew holes in leaves of cucumbers, melons, squash and other veggies

Habitat: Southern gardens

Control: Birds, tachnid flies, you can also handpick them and drop them in a bucket of soapy water.

Spittle bug

Description: look for foam formed on plants

Diet: Annuals, perennials, herbs (rosemary and strawberries are a favorite)

Control: Granular lawn insect control (Tempo), blasts foam with jets of water (this will knock bug off)

Roly poly or Pillbug

Size: about the size of a pea

Description: gray crustaceans, that will roll up when disturbed

Diet: decaying vegetation young seedlings, skins of melon, cucumbers and berries

Control: Limit and remove hiding places, such as, boards on the ground, weedy areas with decaying foliage. Lift ripening fruit off the ground. Slug bait is effective

Snails & Slugs

Well I don't think much needs to be said here but go buy some beer!!!! Put a small amount of beer in a shallow container (cat food cans work well), and put them out in your beds at night. They will die in droves.

Leaf miners

Description: larvae of certain moths, beetles and flies. Tunnel within foliage leaving trails on the surface

Diet: foliage, vegetables, fruit trees, annuals & perennials. May reduce yield of crop.

Control: Parasitic wasps are a natural enemy. Once inside the leaf, chemical control is difficult

Aphids

Size: Pinhead size - match stick head

Description: Black, white, pink or pale green

Diet: Plant juice

Control: Natural enemies such as, Lady bug, lacewings, soldier beetles, syrphid flies, parasitic wasps, lizards, and small birds. Spray with insecticidal soaps.

Armyworms

Size: Large 1" +

Description: travel in troops

Diet: Everything in its path, mostly eating at night

Control: purchase Dipel for worms less than and inch long. For larger worms, spray areas with Sevin.

Grasshopper

Diet: almost anything

Control: Easy to control in young/wingless stage by using earthworms, or a biological control such as Nosema locustae (sold as Grasshopper Attack).

Mealybugs

Description: white, cottony appearance, slow moving

Diet: plant juices, causing stunting and can kill plant

Habitat: More likely to be on indoor plants, may be on outside plants

Control: Natural predators such as lacewings, syrphid flies, lady bug

Japanese Beetles (sorry I had a picture, but I lost it)

Description: Black, adults are shiny, metallic green/copper

Diet: chew plant roots, grass roots, devouring leaves on almost any plant

Control: for grubs in lawn apply Merit or beneficial nemetodes, or Sevin

How do ya'll control your pests????