Fungus Gnats
Fungus Gnats are tiny insects that live in the soil of houseplants. Their larva feed on plant roots and the adults can be a nuisance when they fly around the plants. However, they don't bite humans. They are fairly easy…
Pine Wilt Nematode
This devastating disease is a large factor in the mass die-off of pine trees in our area. Caused by a microscope worm in the vascular system of the tree, this disease is moved from pine to pine by the Pine…
Attracting Beneficial/Predatory Insects
In bird, butterfly, and organic vegetable gardens, chemicals are often not an option if a pest problem arises. One solution is to attract or buy beneficial or predatory insects. These insects can naturally reduce pest populations. The most common example…
Scale Incects
Scale Insects are a wide variety of insects that don't move as adults, have some kind of covering for their bodies, and feed on the sap of plants. There are two main categories of scales, soft and armored (or hard)…
Controlling Ants
While ants are a natural part of the environment and can even help loosen soils and make them more fertile, often they are huge pests that can get into our houses or move aphids around on our garden plants. Ants…
Whiteflies
Whiteflies are tiny insects that feed on the undersides of the leaves of many plants including houseplants, tropicals, and even vegetables. Hibiscus are especially prone to whitefly. Whiteflies are a sucking insect that can damage the leaves by removing too…
Controlling Spiders
Spiders can be beneficial in many situations since they eat a host of other insects. Unfortunately, some are also very venomous to humans, and they are also unwelcome indoors and around our landscapes where we might run into their webs.…
Chinch Bugs
This small insect is a true bug and can be a major turf pest some years. Chinch bugs feed on turf June through September so their feeding can often look like drought stress, brown patch, or grub damage. Adults will…
Spider Mites
Spider mites are very small so they can't be seen with the naked eye but they can cause a lot of damage. The first sign of their presence is pale, dirty looking patches of foliage. The simplest way to confirm…
Grub Control
Grubworms are the larval form of various beetles, the Masked Chaffer being the most damaging in Kansas. When the grubs are at their largest in late summer they can do considerable damage to lawns by eating the roots of the…