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…
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…
Pine Tip Moth
The pine tip moths' larva bore into the new candle tip 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 larva. This usually…
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…
Euonymus Scale
Euonymus scale is one of the most damaging scales in our area. It can cause defoliation and even the death of many Euonymus. These scales can also affect a groundcover called Pachysandra. Euonymus scales are small (1/8th inch) insects with…
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)…
Attracting Pollinators
With some pollinators being threatened by habitat loss, there is a renewed interest in creating beds and even whole gardens for them. Several landscape plants can be used purely for their ornamental value but have the added benefit of drawing…
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…