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…
Grasshopper Control
Grasshoppers are a major pest on a variety of plants. They will eat the new growth of grass and also love sweet potato vines, dracaena, and almost every other garden plant. There are many different species of grasshoppers. They lay…
Bagworm Control
Bagworms are one of the most damaging pests to evergreens in Kansas. Bagworms are easily recognized by the bags they sew together from needles or leaves off of their host plant. In large numbers, they can defoliate and kill juniper,…
Budworms
Have your petunias, geraniums or million bells stopped blooming? Inspect the buds. If there are holes, budworms are the likely cause. Budworms are small caterpillars that are generally green but can be red or brown depending on the color of…
Attracting Pollinators
With some pollinators being threatened by habitat loss, there is a renewed interest in creating beds and even whole gardens for them. There are several landscape plants can be used purely for there ornamental value but have the added benefit…
Pine Tip Moth
The larva of pine tip moths bore into the tip of the new candles on pines (mostly scotch and mugo pines). If you see brown tips, twist them and see if there is a hollow tunnel with a small orange…
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…
Euonymus Scale
Euonymus scale is one of the most damaging scales in our area. It can cause defoliation and even death of many varieties of Euonymus. These scales can also affect a groundcover called Pachysandra. Euonymus scales are a small (1/8th inch)…
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…