Plant Pests

/Plant Pests

Spider Mites

This is possibly being caused by a large population of Spider Mites. These tiny spiders (can only be seen with a magnifying lens) suck plant sap and chlorophyll from the leaves, causing the speckled appearance we see on these leaves. You'll want to verify this ID by looking at the link we've included and examining the upper & lower sides of the leaves with a magnifying lens. You may also see some very fine, disorganized, webbing with mites in the web. If you confirm, you can use insecticidal soaps or horticulture oils to control them, but don't over-use these products because you'll probably be killing other beneficial mites that are natural enemies of these mite pests. When many of the predatory/natural enemies are killed, the spider mite pest population can sky rocket and get worse. You can also help keep the population of pest mites down by occasionally washing off the leaves of the affected plants early in the morning (and allowing them to dry throughout the day). Here's a web-link with more info:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/spidermitescard.html

By | 2015-12-28T13:39:11-08:00 December 28th, 2015|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Scale Insects

You are correct. We can't see clearly what the species the scale is, but it is some kind of scale insect. These insects don't usually cause major problems to plant health unless their population is very large. However, if you don't control them, and the conditions are right for their reproduction, they can get out of control. Keep your plant healthy and it will be better able to withstand the insect feeding. Control for scales varies by species or type of scale. We've included a link for your reference in controlling them outdoors, but if this is a house-plant and the population is not large right now, we suggest you use a dilute solution of rubbing alcohol and water on a damp cloth and wipe the scales off of the leaf and stems (if they are also feeding there). Don't over-do the alcohol as you can cause damage to the protective leaf cuticle with too high a concentration. You can also give the plant(s) a shower, literally, to clean off the sticky "honeydew" exudate. Keep an eye out and continue to remove developing scales. Otherwise, if the population numbers are high you can use pesticidal products, but they may not be very effective on the adult (covered) stage of the scale (they will work on the younger crawler stage if applied correctly). We recommend you use horticultural oils whenever possible (you'll want to apply outdoors, but keep the plant in a shady location and make sure its watered a few hours before applying the oil to avoid burning the plant tissues)
For outdoor plants: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/scalescard.html

By | 2015-12-12T23:19:09-08:00 December 12th, 2015|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Aphids

These are sap sucking insects called Aphids. These insects don't usually cause plants to lose their leaves, but they can cause leaves to turn yellow, curl or become distorted (especially the new grwoth), and growth can be stunted. If there are so many of Aphids that you are seeing these symptoms, you should also see/feel the sticky excrement the aphids produce; this is called honeydew, and you may have ants in the plant as well; the ants feed on the honeydew. You may also see a black sooty mold on the leaves underneath the feeding aphids; this mold grows in the honeydew but does not actually infect the plant and won't kill the plant but it can cause a reduction in photosynthesis because it blocks sunlight from reaching the leaf cells. We've included a webpage link from the University of CA all about aphids and how to control them. Some aphids can transfer diseases that may also affect plants, but that usually does not cause leaves to drop. We suggest that there may be another issue causing the leaves to drop, such as too much or not enough water, nutrient deficiency, or other environmental causes. If you'd like to send another photo of the plant we can took a look at that as well; maybe we can see or figure out the reason for the leaf drop problem. If you click on the link at the bottom of this page, you'll go to another page with more specific info about aphids and various species of them.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/aphidscard.html

By | 2015-12-11T21:56:00-08:00 December 11th, 2015|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Chewing Insect

The problem with chewing insects such as bug larvae or earwigs, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars (too numerous to name) etc. is they move about and often are difficult to spot among the foliage, but if there are black dots on the foliage, it is the excrement of chewing insects. Chewing insects can be large enough to see with the naked eye, but they can be red, orange, green, brown, black, etc. so look closely and pluck off any you see and dispose in a
bucket of soapy water as long as the infestation is not too extensive. Another chewing insect
is the earwig, but it is nocturnal and seeks refuge in dark, moist areas during the day so
spotting them is difficult. Earwigs favorite food is newly emerging plants with tender foliage as
well as flower buds. A simple method to trap them is to roll up a moistened newspaper in the
late afternoon by your plants (earwigs are attracted to warm, dark, moist areas for cover and
for their habitat) and dispose of the newspaper and earwigs in the trash in the morning or
shake the earwigs out into a pail of soapy water. If it is extensive, you can spray with an
organic control for chewing insects recommended by your local garden center such as Bt (Bt
is a contact spray only) or Spinosad (7-10 day residual), but follow application directions. Also
show some of these leaves or this photo to a horticulturist at your local garden center for
confirmation of the problem as well as recommendations for control but make sure it is
formulated for your specific plant.

By | 2015-12-08T15:40:03-08:00 December 8th, 2015|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Squash Bugs Or Stink Bugs

It is not clear from this photo what pest you have although we know your squash isn't doing well. Be sure that you aren't thinking the problem is with stink bugs when it's really with squash bugs or squash vine borer. For a chart that compares stink bugs, squash bugs and the good-guy soldier beetle, all of which have that shield shape, go here: http://s49.photobucket.com/user/joellenh/media/bugs.png.html

There are several stink bug traps on the market so if you know you have stink bugs, you can get a trap for those. There are also many on-line ideas for home-made stink-bug traps although we can't attest to how well the home-made ones compare to the store bought versions.

If you have squash bugs, use Spinosad being sure to spray in the evening on the underside of the leaves. You could also spray early morning - the timing is important because although Spinosad is a bacteria and approved for organic gardening, the wet product isn't good for bees if it hits them. Once it is dry it isn't a problem for bees so you just need to spray at a time when the bees are not foraging, so early morning or late evening.

If the vine is wilting the problem may be powdery mildew, a fungus, or it could be squash vine borer, or both. We see the beginnings of mildew on your leaves in this photo. You need a fungicide for mildew, and there are several organic options. You can get a recommendation at your local garden center.

Squash vine borers are harder to combat. Lift up the wilted vine as soon as it wilts and find the hole where the larvae entered. Slit the stem and dig that sucker out, smashing it. You can spray the underside of stems with Spinosad BEFORE the moth lays eggs there, and while you're at it look for eggs and scrape them off. They will be on the bottom of the vine, not the top. Many have also had success with dusting the stems with wood ask as the moth that lays the egg seems not to want to crawl through a layer of ash to lay the eggs under the stem. This has to be reapplied periodically after watering and rainfall, and will raise the pH of your soil over time.

By | 2015-12-08T15:15:57-08:00 December 8th, 2015|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Chewing Damage

Its hard to say for certain with the relatively small amount of damage we see because several different organisms can chew plant parts; usually their damage is characteristic of the organism, which helps to narrow it down, when we can see patterns in the damage better. It could either be snails/slugs, so look for slime trails on soil and leaves. Look for "worms" (caterpillars, or caterpillar-like organisms), and small beetles (may have black spots or stripes). The snail/slugs hide in the daytime so you have to look for them in their shaded/moist hiding places during the day, or look for them coming out to feed at dawn and dusk; pick them and dispose of them in a sealed bag. Worms can be disposed of in the same way, and you want to look for them on the underside of the leaves (sometimes stems) and look closely as they may blend in with the plant color, and usually leave droppings on the leaves/soil underneath them. Beetles will come and go so their harder to catch, but you can keep an eye out. If damage continues to get worse, you'll know the organism is still around, but if it doesn't progress at all, you'll know its come and gone and you don't need to do anything, except continue to observe and examine your plants once a week or more. Snail/slug baits don't work well unless they are applied exactly right and can be toxic to other organisms if you don't get the right stuff so we recommend just picking them. Caterpillars, when numerous can be controlled with a product that contains (Bt) but you can pick them too if not too many.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:30-07:00 December 7th, 2015|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Coddling Moth Damage

On apples and pears, larvae penetrate into the fruit and tunnel to the core, leaving holes in the fruit that are filled with reddish-brown, crumbly droppings called frass. If left uncontrolled, larvae can cause substantial damage, often infesting 20 to 90% of the fruit, depending on the variety and location. Late maturing varieties are more likely to suffer severe damage than early varieties.

MANAGEMENT
Codling moth can be very difficult to manage, especially if the population has been allowed to build up over a season or two. It is much easier to keep moth numbers low from the start than to suppress a well-established population. In trees with low levels, codling moth often can be kept to tolerable levels by using a combination of nonchemical management methods; however, it is important to begin implementing these measures early in the season.Several methods are available for reducing codling moth that don’t require using insecticides. Selecting varieties that are less susceptible to damage, such as early-maturing apples and pears and late-leafing walnuts, can greatly reduce the potential for damage. This can be especially important in the hot Central Valley climates that have additional generations and result in higher population pressure.

Once trees are planted, nonchemical control methods include sanitation and fruit bagging. These methods are described below. Thinning out and removing infested fruit on the tree is an especially important part of an IPM program for codling moth. Pruning trees to a height where the canopy is easy to reach also will facilitate management of this pest.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:32-07:00 December 4th, 2015|Plant Pests|1 Comment
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Chewing Insect

The problem with chewing insects such as bug larvae or earwigs, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars (too numerous to name) etc. is they move about and often are difficult to spot among the foliage, but if there are black dots on the foliage, it is the excrement of chewing insects. Chewing insects can be large enough to see with the naked eye, but they can be red, orange, green, brown, black, etc. so look closely and pluck off any you see and dispose in a bucket of soapy water as long as the infestation is not too extensive. Another chewing insect is the earwig, but it is nocturnal and seeks refuge in dark, moist areas during the day so spotting them is difficult. Earwigs favorite food is newly emerging plants with tender foliage as well as flower buds. A simple method to trap them is to roll up a moistened newspaper in the late afternoon by your plants (earwigs are attracted to warm, dark, moist areas for cover and for their habitat) and dispose of the newspaper and earwigs in the trash in the morning or shake the earwigs out into a pail of soapy water. If it is extensive, you can spray with an organic control for chewing insects recommended by your local garden center such as Bt (Bt is a contact spray only) or Spinosad (7-10 day residual), but follow application directions. Also show some of these leaves or this photo to a horticulturist at your local garden center for confirmation of the problem as well as recommendations for control but make sure it is formulated for your specific plant.

By | 2015-12-03T15:41:04-08:00 December 3rd, 2015|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Chewing Insect

The problem with chewing insects such as bug larvae or earwigs, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars (too numerous to name) etc. is they move about and often are difficult to spot among the foliage, but if there are black dots on the foliage, it is the excrement of chewing insects. Chewing insects can be large enough to see with the naked eye, but they can be red, orange, green, brown, black, etc. so look closely and pluck off any you see and dispose in a bucket of soapy water as long as the infestation is not too extensive. Another chewing insect is the earwig, but it is nocturnal and seeks refuge in dark, moist areas during the day so spotting them is difficult. Earwigs favorite food is newly emerging plants with tender foliage as well as flower buds. A simple method to trap them is to roll up a moistened newspaper in the late afternoon by your plants (earwigs are attracted to warm, dark, moist areas for cover and for their habitat) and dispose of the newspaper and earwigs in the trash in the morning or shake the earwigs out into a pail of soapy water. If it is extensive, you can spray with an organic control for chewing insects recommended by your local garden center such as Bt (Bt is a contact spray only) or Spinosad (7-10 day residual), but follow application directions. Also show some of these leaves or this photo to a horticulturist at your local garden center for confirmation of the problem as well as recommendations for control but make sure it is formulated for your specific plant. The plant resembles a species of Acanthus, common name Bears Breech.

By | 2015-12-01T03:55:15-08:00 December 1st, 2015|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Chewing Insect

The problem with chewing insects such as bug larvae or earwigs, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars (too numerous to name) etc. is they move about and often are difficult to spot among the foliage, but if there are black dots on the foliage, it is the excrement of chewing insects. Chewing insects can be large enough to see with the naked eye, but they can be red, orange, green, brown, black, etc. so look closely and pluck off any you see and dispose in a bucket of soapy water as long as the infestation is not too extensive. Another chewing insect is the earwig, but it is nocturnal and seeks refuge in dark, moist areas during the day so spotting them is difficult. Earwigs favorite food is newly emerging plants with tender foliage as well as flower buds. A simple method to trap them is to roll up a moistened newspaper in the late afternoon by your plants (earwigs are attracted to warm, dark, moist areas for cover and for their habitat) and dispose of the newspaper and earwigs in the trash in the morning or shake the earwigs out into a pail of soapy water. If it is extensive, you can spray with an organic control for chewing insects recommended by your local garden center such as Bt (Bt is a contact spray only) or Spinosad (7-10 day residual), but follow application directions. Also show some of these leaves or this photo to a horticulturist at your local garden center for confirmation of the problem as well as recommendations for control but make sure it is formulated for vegetables.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:33-07:00 November 29th, 2015|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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