Your Guide to Identifying Garden Pests, and How to Get Rid of Them

Are you having trouble with pests in your garden? Know that you’re not alone. A horticulturist encounters numerous garden pests regularly. Believe it or not, if you have plants growing outdoors, you’re bound to get infested with numerous bugs and insects.

Nonetheless, you don’t have to let the pests win. Here are some tips on identifying garden pests and how to get rid of them.

Different Types of Garden Pests

Many different types of garden pests can harm your plants and vegetables. Each of these pests feeds on different parts of the plant and can cause different levels of damage.

Aphids

Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that are commonly found in gardens. They are often green or black but can also be white, brown, or pink. Aphids can be a serious pest to plants, especially if they are present in large numbers.

They are known to attack a wide range of plants, including vegetables, fruits, and ornamentals. Aphids feed by sucking the sap from plants, which can cause leaves to curl, stunted growth, and reduced yields.

Japanese Beetles

Japanese Beetles are most commonly found in gardens that have a lot of foliage, as they love to feast on the leaves of plants. You will likely notice that they leave behind large, circular holes in the leaves of your plants. They will also typically strip the leaves of your plants of their green coloring, leaving them looking pale and sickly.

Cutworms

Cutworms vary in color but are often brown or black and have a segmented body. They get their name from their habit of cutting plants off at the stem just above ground level, which they do at night. This makes them difficult to spot and identify.

Gardeners can usually tell they have cutworms if they find their plants cut off at the base or if they see the caterpillars themselves crawling around on the ground or the plants.

Whiteflies

Whiteflies are tiny white insects that fly around when you disturb their plant host. They are major pests of cucumbers, tomatoes, and many other vegetables and ornamentals.

Whiteflies cause damage by sucking the sap out of plants, damaging leaves, and causing them to yellow and wilt. They produce a sticky substance called honeydew which falls on leaves and other surfaces beneath the infested plant and provides a perfect environment for the growth of sooty mold.

Slugs and Snails

Check for slimy trails on the ground or your plants. Also, look for holes in leaves or chewed plants. Watch for these pests at night or after rain, as they are most active in these conditions.

How to Get Rid of Garden Pests

If you’re having trouble with garden pests, first try to identify what kind of pests you’re dealing with and what they’re after. Once you know that, you can take steps to eliminate their food source or access to your garden.

If that doesn’t work, there are several chemicals and traps you can use to kill or remove the pests. You can also bring in pest control services, like greencitypestcontrol.com, to help you get rid of garden pests.

Identifying Garden Pests and Getting Rid of Them: Get Started Now!

If you think you may have a garden pest problem, follow this guide to help you with identifying garden pests and get rid of them. By properly identifying the pest, you can choose the best method of treatment to get your garden back to normal.

Need more guidance? Check out the rest of our blog for more tips and techniques to help you along.