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 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)…
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…
Poinsettias are the most popular houseplants for Christmas in the United States. Their showy bracts can come in red, pink, white, cream, peach or even green and burgundy. With the proper care, this houseplant can last long after Christmas and…
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…
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.…