Learn How to Spot These Three Bad Bugs in Your Garden with Brad the Bugman’s help.

Everyone loves to see a butterfly or dragon flit by on a summer day but as soon as a bee or June bug comes within 5 feet we are grabbing the Raid and other insecticides. Contrary to what you might believe, most insects are beneficial in one way or another and it’s important to be able to tell the real pests from the beneficial insects.

Aphids are a true pest! Anyone who has grown citrus, potatoes and roses knows how destructive these little buggers can be. They are extremely small, either white, green, orange or black in color and tend to stay in clusters. Aphids can produce a huge quantity of a sticky substance known as honeydew. This substance can turn black and form a fungus on the plants. Some aphids will inject a toxin into plants that cause leaves to curl and stunt the plant’s growth.

They can be spotted on the underside of leaves and on unopened flower buds. If you see a lot of flies or have an infestation of ants, there’s a good chance aphids have invaded your garden. Beneficial insects that will help you control Aphid infestations are Green Lacewing, Ladybugs, Praying Mantis, Sticky Yellow Cards.

Hornworms are another major pain, especially if you grow tomatoes, potatoes and eggplants. They are a fat caterpillar, bright green with distinctive lines on their body, up to four inches in length and horn-like tails that give them their name. They can devour an entire plant overnight so examine your plants very closely every few days. They blend in with the leaves and stems and can initially be hard to spot. Beneficial insects that love to feed on Hornworms are Green Lacewing , Ladybugs , Nematodes , Praying Mantis ,Trichogramma.

Thrips are another of our least favorite garden pests. They are a minute, thin winged insect, brownish in color that look more like a moth than an insect. Thrips feed on a vast variety of plants by piercing them and sucking out their juices. This undermines the health of the plant as well as transferring unwanted diseases such as Tospoviruses.

Look for streaks, silvery speckling, and small white patches on the leaves. Beneficial insects that can help keep Thrips from ruining your hard work are Green Lacewing , Ladybugs , Praying Mantis , Sticky Yellow Cards Stratiolaelops.

For more tips on how to keep your summer garden safe from unwanted pests contact Brad at 800.328.9140.