Bugs and Aphids and Worms! Oh My!

‘Way back in Master Gardener class, we were told to play Sherlock Holmes when a garden problem was noticed: “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth,” the celebrated sleuth is quoted as saying. In other words, when you see a yellow spot on a rose leaf or a hunk missing from a tomato, don’t rush to the conclusion as to what’s causing the problem.

Following are some common garden pests and the damage they cause. The names are funny but sometimes the problems are not:

Earwigs: a funny little bug with pincers on the backside. They usually eat only small insects, such as aphids (which is a good thing), but sometimes will consume whole flower petals. Clematis, chrysanthemums, dahlias and gladiolus are most affected. A tray or saucer of sawdust will attract earwigs and then you may dust or spray with diazinon. Throw the whole mess away.

Spittlebugs: look similar to a housefly, but brown or pink in color, covered in spit and nestled among the leaves of a plant. Lavender, chrysanthemums, roses, goldenrod, asters, willows, junipers and strawberries are favorite hosts. Actually, the spit does little harm except to one’s sensibilities, it just looks icky. Sweep it and the bugs away with a broom or a strong stream of water.

Webworms: the young leaves of most any shade tree, shrub, fruit tree, holly, privet, rose or honey locust will play host to these caterpillars. The leaves are eaten and drawn together with silk webbing, then rolled up. Spray with a carbaryl-based insecticide.

Shot-hole disease: affects mostly stone fruits such as peaches, apricots, cherries, and plums. Small spots that are reddish to purple or brown or black first appear, then drop out of the leaves, resulting in the shot-hole appearance. Leaves often turn yellow and wither. The problem is caused by various fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Prune, fertilize and water to maintain vigor. A spray that contains captan is good preventive.

Tarnished plant bugs: small apples, pears, quinces, plums or apricots are attractive to these sap-feeding insects. Seen a cat face on a pear? That’s the result of these insects feeding on the sap of the tree as the young fruit is developing. All-purpose fruit spray applied when the fruit first appears, and then every two weeks or so, will control this pest.

Plum curculio: damage is caused to apple, plum, cherry, peach and plum trees as the adult curculio feeds and lays eggs on new fruit soon after bloom. The eggs later hatch and the resulting larvae feed in the fruit, causing it to drop. Spray with phosmet just after petals drop and then again every two weeks.

Dodder: all herbaceous garden plants can be affected by this slender orange-to-yellow leafless twining vine. These parasitic plants can reduce plant vigor and may kill plants. Carefully remove and burn vines before the dodder forms seeds.

Witches’ broom, black knot, blackleg, sclerotinia rot, adelgids, thrips, anthracnose, gummosis, botrytis, and every other kind of rust, rot and destruction could be found in your own backyard if you are diligent enough to detect it.

Happy Gardening!