Questions tagged [pests]

For questions about garden pests such as insects, birds and mammals.

In horticulture, the word "pests" is usually used for macroscopic animals, although smaller organisms (e.g. bacteria, fungi, viruses, nematodes) could be considered pests, as well as invasive plants (e.g. vines and parasitic plants).

Macroscopic animal pests are dominated by insects and mammals, although other arthropods, reptiles, and birds could all be pests.

All of these groups primarily contain beneficial or neutral organisms, so generally control methods should be limited and in the form of deterrents rather than chemical poisons.

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Snail control using biodynamic or eco-friendly solutions

I have recently built and planted a few box gardens with various herbs and vegetables; however, I am having issues with snails. I was told that magnolia flowers are a good natural repellent but they don't seem to working very well. Does anyone have…
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What are these bugs? And how can I restore a healthy compost?

I have a ventilated outdoor compost bin, primarily for food scraps. Until recently, it was a diverse ecosystem that produced good compost. About a month ago, it turned into a mono-culture of these white invertebrates. These bugs are ruthlessly…
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Does it make sense to spray a soccer field for ticks?

I work at a school in an area with a high incidence of tick-borne diseases (even the one that makes you allergic to red meat!) and some parents have asked the school to spray the grounds for ticks. I don't believe this is necessary for the following…
That Idiot
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What are these critters in my guava tree and do I need to get rid of them?

I have a couple of guava trees that are starting to flower and while noting the flowers today I saw a number of very small, black bugs hanging out on some of the leaves and stems. They look like baby flies. I noticed there are a few leaves that…
Scott Mitchell
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Why are there wasps in my garden?

I tend to my garden once a day and about half the time see one or more wasps crawling on one of my lettuce heads. I've always been told that wasps are predators so I presume they aren't there to eat the lettuce. Why are they frequenting my…
Scott Mitchell
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What keeps digging up my veggies?

The last two mornings I have come out to find 4 or 5 of my newly planted vegetables dug up out of their holes. The plants themselves appear to be undamaged so I just keep replanting them in the hole that some creature dug it out of. What could be…
Abe Miessler
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What are these tiny white spider-like bugs in my soil and on plants?

Since we bought some soil from Tescos recently, we've suddenly had an influx of lots of tiny white bugs in our soil. We have had spider-mites and aphids before, but these don't look like either (as far as I can tell). Below are the best images I…
Michal Paszkiewicz
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What is the cause of these round holes in my yard, potentially snakes?

I noticed round holes in my lawn over the last few days. My neighbor thinks they are snake holes. He is just taking a wild guess per his own admission. I am in Maryland and we have had a lot of rain in the last few days.
user20922
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Need help identifying brown and white spots

I have two plants, one can brown spots I can scrape off and the other has white spots which are stuck to the leaves. I've just had an infestation of spider mites and they were absolutely horrendous to get rid off (knock on wood), now I feel slightly…
Speceus
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Why are some of my pumpkin plants wilting, and showing what looks like stem rot?

Up to this date we have had a healthy crop of about 500 flowering pumpkin plants, however, over the last 3 days we have lost maybe 20 of them. They will simply wilt over 24hrs and then die: Closer inspection shows that the base of the stem is…
Lamar Latrell
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Name that bug: Mites on an indoor hibiscus plant

A while back a store bought sunflower was absolutely covered in little green larva looking things. I left it outside but they appear to have migrated to my hibiscus. I've been spraying it with a water + soap + rubbing alcohol solution. None of these…
Archonic
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Areca Palm pest identification

An areca palm I own has an insect infestation that I've had trouble identifying. I've been unable to locate any non-egg mature examples, only the eggs that tend to be in nooks around the plant, typically under leaves. They look like very tiny white…
Lockyy
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What kind of pest is this and how do I deal with it

My potted cayenne peppers have had problems with pests for about a year and a half. Does any one recognize it and know how to deal with it? The plants have been standing on a glazed balcony during summer, the older ones have been overwintering…
Jave
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What are these white with black caterpillars eating Petunias in Albuquerque, New Mexico?

I'm visiting grandparents in Albuquerque, New Mexico and am trying to help perk up some of their potted and hanging potted plants. It doesn't take long for plants to dwindle in this area (dry and hot and high altitude). I keep finding tiny…
Christy B.
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Can Nicotiana alata be used as an aphid "honeypot"?

I have a problem with aphids. Some of my plants are too weakened to be sprayed with a high-velocity hose to knock them off, and I really don't have the time to keep spraying with various insecticides, Neem, soaps etc. The ladybugs in my region…
Graham Chiu
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