Aphid Control
Aphids are small, soft insects with sucking mouthparts. They come in a variety of colors and can attack a wide variety of plants as well. They are generally found under leaves and on tender new stems, often in colonies. The…
Attracting Butterflies
When planning to attract butterflies to your garden, it is important to remember the following requirements: 1. Butterflies linger in sunny places! They are "cold blooded" and require warmth to be active. 2. Butterflies linger in places protected from the…
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…
Mosquitos
Mosquitos are not just pests but can be quite dangerous since some species vector diseases such as West Nile Virus. While most are only nuisances, control is often desired so our landscapes and gardens can be fully enjoyed in the…
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.…