Organic Pest Remedies A-C Custom Search Pests D-G | Pests H-N | Pests O-S | Pests T-Z One of the biggest pains to having a beautiful garden is fighting off those bad bugs. I keep picturing the day when I have totally eradicated all harmful insects and my gardens are glowing with beauty. Then my wife woke me up. We have to do the best we can with what we have and I highly recommend the natural way. Below is a list of harmful insects that are in one area or another of the USA. There are different ways to rid your garden temporarily of these pests, I say temporarily because we all know that we have neighbors that don't fight the pests like we do. The first way and probably the best way is to attract good bugs to the garden. We can buy beneficial insects and plant plants that attract them. We have many birds that love to eat these pests and if we provide a place to live and nuture we have a strong ally - even bats. Working in a small garden we can handpick, or make our own natural spray with the use of garlic, onions, and peppers. Chop these items up and then soak them in a pint of water overnight. Strain them and then spray the juice on plants. This one works great on most plants, including flowers. These topics will be beneficial to read also. What To Look for: Pest Management Practices Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Organic Pest Remedies
Ambrosia Beetle There are no predators known yet. Organic control: maintain trees healthy and compost invaded wood at the earliest spotting. You can also cut down the infested tree and let it rot, or drench the trunk with plant oil spray or orange oil.  Aphids These pests suck out plant sap, causing distorted plants. Aphids are found all over USA.Control by water blasting hose. Use garlic-pepper tea as a spray, or beneficial insects. Release ladybugs, green lacewings, predatory midges, and parasitic wasps.  Armyworms They are also known as true armyworms.They attack small grains in early season. Use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), soapy water, native wasps, or lacewings to control worms.  Asian Longhorned Beetle
 Asparagus beetle Asparagus is its only food plant.The larvae and adult are found from spring to late summer. There are two beetles in this category and they are asparagus and spotted asparagus beetles.  Bagworms (image is male adult, bag, and pupal case) This is a caterpillar stage of a moth that attaches itself to deciduous trees and evergreens, disguised as cones.Control by hand-picking, Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), spraying with soapy water, releasing green lacewings or trichogramma wasps.  Bed Bugs Feed mainly on humans, mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, horses, cattle and poultry.Treat by thorough, frequent and non-toxic cleaning. Organic Control: Treat with diatomaceous earth. Click here to learn about getting rid of bed bugs yourself.  Black Widow SpiderThis spider can be both beneficial and a pest.Black widow spider may refer to:
 Boll Weevil
 Boxelder bug aka Maple Bug, garage beetle
 Brown Recluse Spider
 Cabbage Looper Will attack many different vegetables, not only cabbage family.Control by hand picking, native wasps, till ground before adults emerge in spring.  Cabbage Maggot These maggots bore into roots of plant, sign of infestation is wilting at midday.Control by destroying affected plants, beneficial nematodes, spray with garlic-pepper, or diatomaceous earth around plant.  Carpenter ants Heavy eaters of wood structures, prefer moist wood like where leaks happen around sinks, bathtubs, roof leaks, poorly sealed windows, and hollow porch posts.Control with boric acid, treating wood or dusting indoors.  Chiggers 5 lbs/1000 sq ft. of sulfur will control the chiggers.Carried by animals, and they feed on invertebrates, their eggs, and organic matter.  Chinch bugs Contol by using diatomaceous earth or Nosema locustae protozoa by broadcasting on the infected area. Cicada are not locustsPredators are the cicada killer wasp and birds.  Click Beetle wireworm The larvae, called Wireworms, eat small grain seed and seedling roots.They bore into large roots, stems, tubers, beans, beets, carrots, corn, lettuce, onions, peas, and potatoes. The adults of many don't feed; some will eat plant foliage.
Improve and and ensure well-drained soil. The adult produces a large click which will cause the adult to jump high in the air, probably a defensive attribute.  Cockroach
 Codling Moth attack apple, pear, and other fruit.The caterpillars bore through to fruit center. Can be contolled with sticky tree bands checked daily. May need to use dormant oil.  Colorado potato beetle Can also affect eggplant and tomatoes.Control by hand-picking, garlic-pepper tea and diatomaceous earth (DE) mixed. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) can be used.  Corn Earworm They will start with fresh silk of corn and eat their way into corn kernels. They do eat other vegetables and fruits.Control with native wasps, apply 20 drops of mineral oil onto silk about 3-5 days after silk appears. Try beneficial nematodes on corn stalks.  Crickets Diatomaceous earth can be dusted in infested areas at 2 tbps/1000 sq ft. Cucumber Beetles Squash family and other vegetables are their victims.They feed on leaves and blossoms of plants while larvae feed on roots. Mulch with lots of straw, apply beneficial nematodes, and destroy infected plants.  Cutworms These worms will attack most vegetable crops at night and cut through stems or eat entire seedling.Diatomaceous earth, bone meal, or colloidal phosphate ring around each plant. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) needs to be applied at dusk. Aluminum foil can be wrapped around plant stem. Pests D-G | Pests H-N | Pests O-S | Pests T-Z From Organic Pest Remedies A-C to Organic Fertilizers Info |
Nature controls them with spiders, toads, snakes, birds and beneficial nematodes.