Garden Pests — Page 5
A damaged leaf is a clue, not an identification. Browse questions about plant-feeding insects, lawn damage, tree pests, and the observations to collect before deciding on control.
327 questions · Page 5 of 10
Moths & ButterfliesSquash vine borer vs squash bug: which signs point to each?A squash vine borer causes sudden wilting with a hole and frass at the stem base. Squash bugs feed outside and leave bronze egg clusters on leaves.ThripsThrips parvispinus vs western flower thrips: what is different?Understand the differences between Thrips parvispinus and western flower thrips, how to identify them, and what management strategies actually work.AphidsThrips vs aphids: how can you tell the damage apart?Aphid damage is wet and sticky from honeydew. Thrips damage is dry and silvery, with tiny black specks. Here is how to tell them apart.Moths & ButterfliesTomato hornworm damage vs other chewing insects: what differs?Learn how to tell tomato hornworm damage apart from other garden pests through observable clues and identification tips.Moths & ButterfliesTomato hornworm vs tobacco hornworm: what markings differ?Learn the visual differences between tomato and tobacco hornworms, how to identify them correctly, and what steps to take for garden control.Beetles & WeevilsVine weevil larvae vs other white grubs in UK pots: what differs?Learn the differences between vine weevil larvae and other white grubs found in UK pots, including identification tips, habits, and management strategies.Scale Insects & MealybugsWhat are armored scale insects?Armored scales are tiny sap feeders under separate waxy shields on bark and leaves. They make no honeydew and are best treated as crawlers.SlugsWhat are black slugs?Black slugs are shell-less mollusks that hide by day in cool, damp places and come out at night to eat leaves, stems and fruit.Other True BugsWhat are boxelder bugs good for?Discover whether boxelder bugs are beneficial, why they gather on homes in autumn, and how to manage them safely without harmful sprays.Moths & ButterfliesWhat are codling moth traps measuring in a home orchard?Codling moth traps measure adult male flight activity to set a biofix date for timing orchard sprays, rather than catching pests to reduce populations.Moths & ButterfliesWhat are eastern tent caterpillars?Eastern tent caterpillars are native moth larvae that build silk tents in tree forks in early spring. They are hairy and dark with a white back stripe.Other True BugsWhat are false chinch bugs in Arizona?Learn how to identify and manage false chinch bugs in Arizona during their seasonal migrations.Moths & ButterfliesWhat are forest tent caterpillars?Forest tent caterpillars are native moth larvae that feed on broadleaf trees without spinning tents. They have a row of white spots down the back.Scale Insects & MealybugsWhat are fuzzy white bugs on plants?Learn what fuzzy white bugs on plants actually are, how to identify them correctly, and what steps to take for treatment.AdelgidsWhat are hemlock woolly adelgid white woolly masses?Learn what hemlock woolly adelgid white woolly masses are, how to identify them, and what practical steps to take next.Flies & GnatsWhat are little bugs on strawberries?Little bugs on strawberries are usually aphids, mites, fruit fly larvae or weevils. The type of damage on leaves, flowers or fruit tells you which.AphidsWhat are little green bugs on lettuce?Learn what little green bugs on lettuce are, how to identify them by their movement and damage, and how to safely handle garden pests on leafy greens.AphidsWhat are little green bugs on roses?Little green bugs on roses are usually aphids clustered on stems and leaves. They may also be rose leafhoppers or rose sawfly larvae.Flies & GnatsWhat are little white bugs in houseplant soil?Learn what those tiny white bugs crawling in your houseplant soil actually are, how to identify them, and what practical steps you should take.AphidsWhat are little white bugs on strawberries?Little white bugs on strawberries may be whiteflies, spider mites, cyclamen mites, aphids, thrips, mealybugs or scale crawlers.AphidsWhat are milkweed aphids?Milkweed aphids are small, soft-bodied sap-sucking insects about 1/10 inch long that cluster on the tender tips and young buds of milkweed.Crickets & Mole CricketsWhat are mole crickets?Mole crickets are burrowing insects about 1 to 1.5 inches long, velvety brown, with heavy shovel-like front legs for digging through soil.AphidsWhat are oleander aphids?A clear, practical guide to recognizing oleander aphids, telling real damage from sooty mold, deciding when to act, and knowing when to call a professional.AphidsWhat are orange bugs on a citrus tree?Learn what orange bugs on a citrus tree mean, how to identify them, and what practical steps to take next.SpidersWhat are red spider mites?Red spider mites are tiny arachnids about 1 mm long that suck plant cells dry. Most are pale yellow-green and only turn red when overwintering.AphidsWhat are root aphids?Root aphids are tiny sap-sucking insects, 1 to 2.5 mm long, that live underground feeding on plant roots. Here is how to spot them.Scale Insects & MealybugsWhat are root mealybugs?Root mealybugs hide at the soil line and on upper roots, sucking sap and leaving white wax and sticky honeydew. Here is how to check a pot.Scale Insects & MealybugsWhat are scale insects on plants?Scale insects are sap-feeding bugs that look like bumpy crusts or brown spots on stems and leaves. Females stay in one spot under a waxy shield.Scale Insects & MealybugsWhat are soft scale insects?Learn what soft scale insects are, how to identify them on your plants, and what practical steps to take for management.SpidersWhat are the early signs of spider mites on plants?Learn how to identify the early signs of spider mites on plants, including stippling, fine webbing, and inspection tips.Moths & ButterfliesWhat are the early signs of squash vine borer damage?Learn to identify the early warning signs of squash vine borer damage before your garden plants collapse.Scale Insects & MealybugsWhat are the main types of scale insects?The main scale types are armored scales, soft scales, felt or bark scales, and mealybugs. A treatment that works on one may fail on another.Beetles & WeevilsWhat are the signs of emerald ash borer damage?Learn to identify the signs of emerald ash borer damage on ash trees, from canopy dieback and bark fissures to D-shaped exit holes.RaccoonsWhat are the signs of grubs in a lawn?Grub damage shows as dying patches on moist soil, spongy turf and sod that peels back by hand. Skunks and raccoons digging overnight are another sign.ThripsWhat are thrips on plants?Thrips are tiny, slender insects that drink plant sap, leaving leaves with a silvery sheen and dotted with tiny black specks.ThripsWhat are Thrips parvispinus?Thrips parvispinus, or pepper thrips, is a thrips species about 1 mm long. Confirming it at home is hard, since it takes a microscope.