Posts Tagged ‘insects’
Woodpecker – Drumming on House
Q: We have a woodpecker pounding holes in our stucco house. What can we do? A: Owners of stucco and cedar-sided homes often report that woodpeckers bang on their exterior walls and gutters. The sharp “rattta – tat – tat”�...
Pine Beetle – In Mulch
Q: I had some pines cut down because they had pine beetles. Should the tree be sprayed with insecticide? Is it safe to use the shredded limbs and chips as mulch? A: The infested pine tree trunks should be removed...
Termiticide – Absorbed by Plants
Q: I had my house treated for termites six months ago. They dug a trench around the base of my house and poured in a chemical. They warned me not to plant anything I plan to eat within fifteen feet...
Whitefly – Control
Q: I see whiteflies all over my gardenias in summer. What should I do to kill them? A: If you see hundreds in spring, you’ll see millions by mid-summer! They suck plant sap and excrete a sticky honeydew that gets...
Wooly Pine Scale – Identification
Q: What is this stuff that looks like snow on my pine tree in Decatur in mid-summer? Should I do something about it? It looks fluffy and is sticky. When you pull some off it can be rolled up in...
Pine Beetle – Identifying Damage
Q: One of our pine trees has holes along the trunk with bits of rosin sticking out. Our neighbor says we have pine beetles and the tree is dead. What do you think? A: If there are lots of holes,...
Pine Beetle – Aftercare
Q: We had a tree die from pine beetles and my husband would like to cut it down himself as he has done with other trees. Is there is a risk of spreading beetle larva when the limbs are moved?...
Canna Leaf Roller
Q: I have cannas that have large red flowers in summer. There are bugs that live in the leaves and secrete a substance that sticks the leaves together, thus preventing them from opening properly as they grow. Any idea what...
Clover Mite
Q: I have tiny little red bugs on my house walls and windows. What are they? A: Just a few sunny days can cause clover mites to hatch in your lawn. These tiny red mites feed on clover and tender...
Red Insects on House in Spring
Q: My Dad and I saw some tiny red crawling things on a wall near our house. Will they hurt our plants? A: I can think of three red crawling insects that you might see: red spider mites, clover mites...
Flea – Control Indoors
Q: What can I use in the house for flea control with a sixteen month old baby present? The dog is treated and the yard is going to be but I want to get ahead of them indoors before there...
Squash Bugs – Identification
Q: On my yellow squash leaves there are several rows of very tiny, copper-colored, jewel-like, round things. What are they? A: They’re squash bug eggs. Unless you want to lose your squash crop, kill ‘em now! The eggs will quickly...
Mosquito Control – Monthly Sprays
Q: What do you think about the monthly mosquito control offered by local exterminators? I am considering signing up this but wondered how well it works or if there are any safety hazards. The company I called will spray the...
Wax Scale – Control
Q: Down deep on my boxwood stems I have found white-looking things that are very rounded in shape. When I pull them off their underside is blood red. I can squash them between my fingers and they crunch a bit....
Dance flies
Q: What are the small flies that hover in clouds over the grass? They float in the air in swarms and sometimes latch on to you and follow you everywhere you go. A: It could be either gnats or dance...
Hammock – Hanging from Tree
Q: I want to hang a hammock between two sweetgum trees with trunks approximately twelve inches thick. If I put a screweye into the trunk, will it cause damage to the trees? A: Will it cause damage to the tree?...
