Questions tagged [insects]

Six-legged arthropods

Arguably the most successful group of animals to have existed, and they will significantly out number all other groups of animal in your garden. Most insects are benign, although some (eg. aphids, and hornworm larvae) can be pests. Similarly, many are encouraged as predators to eat those that are considered pests (e.g. Ladybugs and lacewings).

Insects typically have six legs, although larvae are an obvious exception. Similarly, most are capable of flight although not necessarily in all stages of growth.

Use this tag for questions about insects in the garden or landscape. For an unknown insect, also add the tag and include a photo. For questions about controlling insects, add the tag.

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Kentia Palm one of the stems dried out because of insects

We have a nice Kentia Palm within the office. The plant is watered regularly as per the guidance. It also gets occasional misting. Unfortunately I recently noticed the plant started drying out and one of the stems is now completely dry/dead. I…
Taks
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What kind of disease is this, which is ruining my crop

I have grown castor in 5 acres, Castor is not traditionally grown in our area, but in the last two years my father has been growing this crop, because its price is high in the market. Last year's crop was very good, but this time a new disease has…
Praveen Yadav
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What are these bugs on my milkweed?

I’ve noticed lately that there are piles of these insects on my milkweed plant. Are they harmful to it? Or could they be harmful to other plants in my garden?
dpw
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How to avoid "importing" insects when bringing plants into house at end of summer?

I had many of my plants out on my porch last summer (potted avocado trees, potted miniature roses, some herbs). Unfortunately, when I brought them into the house in the Fall, I also brought in some very small flying insects which lasted months…
spring
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Is this green headed beetle with brown and black wings a pest?

Can anyone identify this beetle? It has a green head and thorax, and its wings are tan or brown with a blotchy black stripe between them. Underside is also an iridescent green. It's about an inch long. It's fairly active and was trying to fly…
natevw
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Thrips in strawberry plants

this is the first time I am trying to grow strawberries on a balcony . I built wooden planters for like 60 plants. Since last week all were doing great. They are blooming like crazy and they have a lot of green fruits. I noticed that a lot of plants…
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Is this a bronze birch borer infestation?

I have three birch trees in my front yard that I've been told have a bronze birch borer infestation, based primarily on the presence of numerous holes, each about 6-7 mm wide. There does seem to be some dieback at the crowns, but I don't know…
Jim Garrison
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Are these bugs in poinsettia leaves?

We have a poinsettia at our house that we bought in Christmas. At least over here (the Caribbean), these poinsettias are very delicate; they usually die after a few months. So our poinsettia has been surviving, but I've noticed that many leaves are…
rbhat
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Are these insect eggs or some sort of fungus?

It’s been a rainy week here in Los Angeles and I noticed these today. I’m not sure if they were there before the rain but I’m completely stumped on what they are.
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How should I move a plant indoors without bringing in bugs?

I live in a mild climate area and occasionally move indoor plants outside or vice versa. One succulent I brought into my office seems to have a colony of some kind of tiny flies in it. I've been waiting a few weeks hoping they will die out, but…
Aaron Brick
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What is this all-white insect?

I found this insect while looking for bugs in a relative's garden. Its body seems to be entirely white. It has large wings and is capable of flight. I have no indication it's harming the plant; I just want to find a name for it because it is so…
Eli Rose
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Insect Identification: What's this insect

Recently i found an insect very rapidly multiplying itself in the compost heap at home. I took some blurry images of the insect since they were very brisk and not sufficiently static. I am concerned on their numbers getting multiplied in the…
Krishna P S
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What is the cause of white spots on bean leaves and how to solve the problem?

The leaves of my three bean plants are covered in these white spot; the rocket has the same problem, while the ivy and the avocado seem unaffected. These spots are located on the upper surface and they don't go away if I rub them. I highly suspect…
LinuxBlanket
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How do I treat ground cherry tips being eaten completely off?

I have ground cherry tips that are getting eaten completely off every few days. How should I treat this without harming the beneficial insects? The plant is still showing leaves after watering, but the leaves disappear soon after.
black thumb
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What is this tiny black insect found on my cacti?

I need help identifying an insect, it is very small, not much bigger than the head of a pin, it is black. It kind of resembles a slug because it has the true small antennas. It was originally on a Golden barrel and a Mammillaria mystax cactus. Now…
Alex.M
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