Posts Tagged ‘insects’
Wood Chips – Around Playset
Q: We are creating a spot in our back yard for a big wooden play set. We are debating whether to put pine chips down for safety. We had some pines taken down so we have a mountain of chips....
Japanese beetle – Nematodes to Control
Q: In preparation for the inevitable onslaught of Japanese beetles, I was wondering whether you had any thoughts regarding spreading beneficial nematodes? I realize nothing is 100% successful but I hate to harm beneficial creatures. A: Nematodes are microscopic worms,...
Dusky Birch Sawfly
Q: My small ‘Whitespire’ Japanese birch has been defoliated each fall for about the past three years. No permanent harm because it comes right back every spring. I just found these hungry little guys on it and wonder if they...
Cicada – Skins on Tree
Q: My wife and I found some empty shells of what we thought was some sort of beetle. Our first thought was that they were pine beetles from hell. We looked on the Web and now believe them to be...
Pine Sawfly
Q: I just noticed that one of my deodar cedars is suddenly and rapidly becoming a skeleton. Upon closer inspection, I found it is being eaten alive by clusters of spotted yellow caterpillars with bright red lips! I would say...
‘Harvester’ Peach Tree – Spraying for a Full Harvest
Q: I have a five-year old ‘Harvester’ peach tree. It’s developing fruit the size of marbles in large numbers. Should I be spraying this tree with something to make sure I get a full harvest? A: You have already missed...
Camellia – Tea Scale
Q: I have a camellia tree in front of my house in Savannah that is just gorgeous. But it’s dying!! A few months ago I noticed dense, very sticky webs strung along the low branches of the tree. The webs...
Wireworm – In Sweet potato
Q: We harvested many sweet potatoes from our garden recently. A few were deformed and very large. What causes the deformity? Most of the potatoes were shaped nicely. Even though they were odd looking they still were good eating. A:...
Horticultural Oil – Mix with Lime Sulfur
Q: I need to know why the product label says not to mix horticultural oil and liquid lime-sulfur to spray on plants. I take care of a big rose garden and I know fellow horticulturists who do this all the...
Azalea Lacebug – Control in Spring
Q: I have big leaf azaleas along the side of our home. Last summer the leaves lost their bright green color. It looked as though the leaves had been bleached. The back of the leaves looked like they had bugs...
Aphids – On Pansies
Q: My container pansies are being attacked by these bugs. They hold on for dear life through bug sprays, water, and January wind. I have tried using Schultz’ Household and Garden Insect Spray and they just keep coming back. They...
Japanese Beetles – Plants They Don’t Eat
Q: I have Japanese beetles on my roses and grapes every year. Are there any plant’s they don’t eat? A: Japanese beetles can make lacework out of grape, rose, hollyhock and plum leaves in just a few days. You can...
Tobacco Budworm – On Rose
Q: On your radio show a couple weeks back a caller described a rose caterpillar that looked like a water moccasin. Did you guys ever figure out what it was? A: It was a fascinating description! My best guess is...
Boxelder Bug vs Red-Shouldered Bug – Identification
Q: What is this red bug ? There are a kazillion around my garden area? Are they harmful? Do they bite? A: You’ve found some boxelder (or box elder) bugs, Boisea trivittatus. These harmless insects feed on the seeds of...
Polyphemous Moth
Q: I found this giant moth in the yard. What is it? A: You found a beautiful polyphemus moth! This flying creature is found in wooded areas. Its equally distinctive caterpillar is bright green and up to three inches long....
Fire Blight – In Pear
Q: I have a 50+ year old pear tree that suddenly has shown signs of distress. After blooming and developing some fruit, the tips of some branches began to turn brown. It looks a little like freeze damage. The problem...
Hickory Horned Devil – Young form
Q: Can you tell me what in heck these caterpillars are? A: According to my friends at BugGuide, you found the immature caterpillars of the hickory horned devil, which eventually turns into the beautiful Regal...
Witchhazel Gall
Q: We have an older Witch Hazel (yellow bloomer) that we transplanted a few years ago. The first and third growing season we’ve found these wierd green and pink growths on the leaves. There appears to be a hole in...
