Vegetable lawn insect pests are liable to many controls. Restrict the wear and tear of bugs via figuring out pests temporarily and spotting the wear and tear they inflict. Common visits to the lawn will will let you spot pests prior to they turn out to be established. Then select top-of-the-line keep an eye on given the infestation. The fastest controls for gentle infestations are indexed underneath below “Prevention and controls.” The “natural insecticides” listed below are the closing defensive position; herbal pesticides can hurt really helpful bugs if no longer used in moderation. Inspire really helpful bugs–indexed below “biological controls.”
Listed below are 26 commonplace vegetable insect pests A to Z:
Aphid
• Description. Tiny soft-bodied, pear-shaped bugs is also light inexperienced, brown, yellow, red, blue, or black. Typically wingless however some women is also winged. Adults lower than 1/10-inch lengthy.
• Prone vegetation. Just about all greens, culmination, and plenty of different vegetation.
• Harm. Sucks sap from leaves, fruit, stems inflicting foliage to twist, pucker, and yellow; lack of plant vigor; some transmits illnesses equivalent to mosaic; excrement helps black, sooty mildew; draw in ants.
• Emergence time. Eggs over-winter hatch in early spring, all the way through increasing season.
• Prevention and controls. Spray away with sturdy water; soapy water spray; aluminum foil position on floor below younger vegetation displays the sky and confuses insets; as a trap, use yellow bins of soapy water, industrial yellow stick traps, or a board painted yellows an covered with sticky answer equivalent to Tanglefoot; duvet plant with Spun polyester blanket or different row duvet.
• Organic controls. Ladybugs; spiders; syrphid flies; lacewings.
• Herbal pesticides. Insecticidal cleaning soap; nicotine. Pyrethrum; sabadilla; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs. Mild horticultural oil spray.
• Plant partners. Plant aster and parsley circle of relatives vegetation additionally alyssum or clover to draw aphid-easting really helpful bugs. Onions and garlic might repel aphids. Entice vegetation: early cabbage, marigolds, and nasturtiums.
Asparagus Beetle
• Description. Blue-black with 4 white spots and pink margins; rectangular to ¼ inch lengthy.
• Prone vegetation. Asparagus
• Harm. Chews leaves and spear pointers.
• Emergence time. Over-winter in lawn, emerge in spring.
• Prevention and controls. Take away vegetation and particles after harvest; shake beetles from foliage into soapy water; use row covers as barrier early in season; use rock phosphate or bone meal mud on vegetation.
• Organic controls. Ladybugs, predatory flies.
• Herbal pesticides. Pyrethrum, rotenone mud for critical issues; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Beetles dislike tomatoes, nasturtiums, and calendula.
Cabbage Looper
• Description. Mild inexperienced caterpillar with yellow stripes operating down again; loops because it walks. Grownup is brownish night-flying moth with sliver spot in mid-forewing.
• Prone vegetation. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese language cabbage, collards vegetation, vegetables, beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes.
• Harm. Small to huge holes eaten in leaves. Eats seedlings.
• Emergence time. Spring.
• Prevention and controls. Mud looper-worms with flour or salt; duvet vegetation with spun polyester blanket or different row duvet to stop moths from laying eggs; plant resistant sorts, time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle.
• Organic controls. Trichogramma wasps, lacewing, girl computer virus; Bacillus thuringiensis spray each and every 2 weeks.
• Herbal pesticides. Rotenone; pyrethrum-diatomaceous earth mix; sabadilla; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Celery as a entice crop. Intercrop with marigolds. Repelled via garlic, scorching peppers, hyssop, onions, rosemary, sage, tansy, thyme.
Cabbage Maggot
• Description. Small, gray-white, legless trojan horse to ⅓-inch lengthy, blunt finish. Grownup looks as if a housefly.
• Prone vegetation. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese language cabbage, collards, parsnips, radishes, turnips.
• Harm. Brown tunnels into stems slightly under soil, seedlings wilt and die.
• Emergence time. Early spring to fall, a number of generations.
• Prevention and controls. Practice lime or wooden ashes round base of vegetation; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle.
• Organic controls. Recommended nematodes, chalcid wasps, trichogramma wasps.
• Herbal pesticides. Lime-water combine drench: 2 kilos of lime consistent with 5-gallons of water.
• Plant partners. Radishes and turnips as entice vegetation. Mint, rosemary, sage, tomatoes repel cabbage maggot.
Carrot Rust Fly
• Description. Black fly to at least one/5-inch lengthy with yellow head and legs. Maggots are yellow to white about ⅓ inch lengthy.
• Prone vegetation. Carrots, celery, parsley, parsnips.
• Harm. Maggots tunnel into roots inflicting stunting of vegetation; tender rot.
• Emergence time. Spring, over-winter as maggots.
• Prevention and controls. Sprinkle wooden ashes round crown of plant; domesticate in wintry weather to show maggots; rotate vegetation; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle, carrots come to reap in fall..
• Organic controls. Parasitic nematodes.
• Herbal pesticides. Use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Onions and leeks repel fly, Additionally pennyroyal, rosemary, salsify, sage, wormwood.
Colorado Potato Beetle
• Description. Yellow convex beetle to ⅓-inch lengthy with black stripes and orange head masking. Grubs are pink with black spots and a black head.
• Prone vegetation. Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers.
• Harm. Skeletonized leaves, enlargement pointers chewed.
• Emergence time. Spring.
• Prevention and controls. Hand pick out beetles and larvae; take away orange egg plenty from undersides of leaves; spray with mix of basil leaves and water; position 1-inch thick layer of unpolluted hay or straw mulch round vegetation to stay beetles from hiking to the stems; duvet vegetation with spun polyester blanket or different row duvet; plant resistant sorts; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle.
• Organic controls. Ladybugs, Bacillus thuringiensis
• Herbal pesticides. Rotenone; sabadilla; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Interplant with catnip, coriander, tansy; intercrop with basil.
Corn Earworm
• Description. Spiny caterpillar, white, inexperienced, or pink to 1½-inches lengthy. Grownup is brown moth.
• Prone vegetation. Corn
• Harm. Feed buds and leaves and afterward silks and kernels at tip of ear.
• Emergence time. Overdue spring.
• Prevention and controls. Hand choose from husk after silks brown. When silks tassels brown, observe 10-20 drops of mineral oil with eye dropper to tassels or spray mineral oil on tassels. Take away particles from lawn in fall and domesticate completely.
• Organic controls. Trichogramma wasps, Bacillus thuringiensis, really helpful nematodes.
• Herbal pesticides. Spray younger vegetation with horticultural oil blended with Bacillus thuringiensis each and every 2 weeks. Rotenone; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Plant smartweed as entice crop.
Cutworm
• Description. Boring grey to brown caterpillar, plump to 2-inches lengthy, curls when disturbed.
• Prone vegetation. Beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese language cabbage, collards, corn, eggplants, kohlrabi, lettuce, radishes, rutabagas, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, turnips,
• Harm. Chunk via plant stems slightly under soil line; devour roots, leaves, buds, and culmination.
• Emergence time. Early spring; repeat generations via increasing season.
• Prevention and controls. Position 3-inch collar of newspaper or plastic round stem when transplanting into lawn; transparent lawn of weeds, grass and plant particles in fall to deter egg-laying; sprinkle wooden ashes round base of vegetation.
• Organic controls. Braconid wasps; tachinid flies; really helpful nematodes, Bacillus thuringiensis.
• Herbal pesticides. Diatomaceous earth.
• Plant partners. None.
Ecu Corn Borer
• Description. Grey to pink-flesh coloured caterpillar with darkish head and small brown spots on each and every section to 1-inch lengthy. Grownup moth has zigzag trend on wings.
• Prone vegetation. Corn, chard, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes.
• Harm. Younger larvae chunk on leaves and tassels; older larvae bore into stalks.
• Emergence time. Caterpillars in spring, moths in early summer time.
• Prevention and controls. Take away outdated stalks and plant particles in fall or early spring prior to adults emerge; stay grass and weeds down; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle; hand pick out caterpillars.
• Organic controls. Ladybugs; braconid wasps; tachinid flies; Bacillus thuringiensis.
• Herbal pesticides. Ryania; rotenone; sabadilla. Use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Develop sunflowers as a entice crop.
Flea Beetle
• Description. Glossy black, brown, or bronze beetles with huge hind legs to ⅛-inch lengthy. Bounce like fleas when disturbed.
• Prone vegetation. Beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, collards, corn, eggplants, kohlrabi, muskmelons, peppers, potatoes, radishes, spinach, tomatoes, turnips, watermelons.
• Harm. Chews tiny holes in leaves; reasons wilting and slows plant enlargement.
• Emergence time. Over-winter in lawn; emerge in spring.
• Prevention and controls. Domesticate steadily to disturbs eggs; take away outdated vegetation and particles from lawn after harvest; plant vulnerable vegetation close to shade-giving vegetation, beetles don’t like colour; sprinkle wooden ashes on vegetation; use garlic or scorching pepper spray; duvet with spun polyester blanket or different row duvet; plant resistant sorts; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle.
• Organic controls. Recommended nematodes.
• Herbal pesticides. Diatomaceous earth; rotenone; pyrethrum; sabadilla; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Use bok choy, Chinese language cabbage, and radishes as entice vegetation. Interplant vegetation with collards and tomatoes.
Harlequin Computer virus
• Description. Glossy black and pink shield-shaped computer virus to ¼-inch lengthy; huge triangles on again.
• Prone vegetation. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese language cabbage, collards, collards, kohlrabi, mustard, radish, turnip.
• Harm. Sucks sap from vegetation leading to blotchy leaves, wilting, and dying.
• Emergence time. Over-winter in particles; emerge in spring.
• Prevention and controls. Hand pick out; take away weeds and particles from lawn; plant resistant sorts.
• Organic controls. Sparrows and mockingbirds.
• Herbal pesticides. Liquid rotenone-pyrethrum, sabadilla; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Develop turnips and mustard vegetables as entice crop.
Hornworm, Tomato Hornworm
• Description. Inexperienced caterpillar 3- to 5-inches lengthy with white stripes; horn initiatives from rear. Grownup is huge, mottled grey or broth moth with orange spots on each and every facet of frame.
• Prone vegetation. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, dill.
• Harm. Chunk holes in leaves and occasionally fruit.
• Emergence time. Over-winters in soil; moths emerge in past due spring to early summer time.
• Prevention and controls. Hand pick out; sprinkle dried scorching peppers on plant; diatomaceous earth round base of vegetation; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle.
• Organic controls. Bacillus thuringiensis, trichogramma wasps; braconid wasps.
• Herbal pesticides. Pyrethrum; rotenone; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Develop dill and four-o’clocks as entice crop.
Eastern Beetle
• Description. Grownup metal, blue-green beetle with bronze wing covers to ½-inch lengthy. Grayish-brown grub with brown head.
• Prone vegetation. Asparagus, beans, okra, peaches, raspberries, rhubarb, leaves of corn.
• Harm. Grubs feed most commonly on grass roots; adults feed on leaves and vegetation of vulnerable vegetation.
• Emergence time. Grownup beetles emerge in early summer time after over-wintering underground.
• Prevention and controls. Hand pick out; take away all plant particles from lawn; grubs are discouraged via top soil pH; position industrial pheromone traps round lawn; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle.
• Organic controls. Bacillus popilliae (milky spore) infects grubs, calls for huge utility; really helpful nematodes.
• Herbal pesticides. Sabadilla, liquid rotenone or pyrethrum controls grownup beetles; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Larkspur foliage is poisonous to beetles; geraniums repel beetles; smartweed repels bugs. Develop light-colored geraniums and zinnias as entice vegetation.
Leafhopper
• Description. Inexperienced, brown, or yellow insects to ⅓-inch lengthy with wedge-shaped wings; insects transfer sideways.
• Prone vegetation. Potatoes, beans, carrots, celery, chard, eggplant, rhubarb, beets, lettuce, spinach, squash, roses.
• Harm. Suck juices from leaves and stems inflicting stunted, crinkled, mottled, curled leaves; some transmit viruses.
• Emergence time. Spring.
• Prevention and controls. Insect prefers open spaces so refuge vulnerable vegetation; duvet with spun polyester blanket or different row duvet for roughly 4 weeks after vegetation sprout; plant resistant sorts.
• Organic controls. Inexperienced lacewing, braconid wasps, trichogramma wasps.
• Herbal pesticides. Diatomaceous earth; insecticidal cleaning soap; summer time horticultural spray oil; liquid rotenone or pyrethrum; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Develop corn as a entice crop.
Leaf Miner
• Description. Tiny black flies about 1/10-inch lengthy with yellow stripes. Larvae are light inexperienced maggots.
• Prone vegetation. Beans, beets, cabbage, chard, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes.
• Emergence time. Adults emerge in spring.
• Harm. Larvae tunnel within leaves, stunt enlargement.
• Prevention and controls. Wreck inflamed leaves; domesticate lawn to disturb existence cycle in fall; duvet vegetation with spun polyester blanket or different row duvet; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle.
• Organic controls. Chickadees, finches, robins.
• Herbal pesticides. Mild horticultural oil spray.
• Plant partners. Develop radishes as a entice crop.
Mexican Bean Beetle
• Description. Spherical yellow- to copper-colored beetle with 16 black dots in 3 rows down the again, very similar to a girl computer virus.
• Prone vegetation. Beans, squash.
• Harm. Skeletonize leaves, vegetation dry out and die; additionally feed on bean pods and stems.
• Emergence time. Adults emerge in spring.
• Prevention and controls. Wreck eggs; hand pick out beetles; stay lawn freed from plant particles to restrict egg-laying habitat; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle: previous vegetation are much less vulnerable; plant resistant sorts.
• Organic controls. Ladybugs; Pediobius wasps kill larvae.
• Herbal pesticides. Liquid rotenone or pyrethrum; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs. Rotenone mud; sabadilla; summer time horticultural spray oil.
• Plant partners. Plant nasturtiums, marigolds, savory, or garlic within reach. Develop lima beans as a entice crop.
Onion Maggot
• Description. Maggots are brown, legless, hump-backed and bushy to ⅓-inch lengthy.
• Prone vegetation. Onion, radishes.
• Harm. Tunnel into decrease stem of onion close to bulb, harmful neck.
• Emergence time. Grownup flies emerge in past due spring to put eggs at base of vegetation.
• Prevention and controls. Take away and spoil infested vegetation; keep away from planting crop too intently or complete crop in a single position. Use wooden ashes and diatomaceous earth as a barrier.
• Organic controls. Recommended nematodes, predatory flies, spider, ichneumonid wasps.
• Herbal pesticides. None.
• Plant partners. Intercrop with vegetation that don’t seem to be liable to onion maggot.
Slug
• Description. Mollusk; brown, grey, white, pink, or yellow snails with out shells to 2-inches lengthy.
• Prone vegetation. Virtually all greens.
• Harm. Devour huge, ragged holes in leaves, stems, and fruit.
• Emergence time. Early spring; want cool temperatures.
• Prevention and controls. Hand pick out and spoil; sprinkle slugs with salt; position protecting borders of sand, lime, or ashes round vegetation; mulch with wooden shavings or oak leaves; entice with saucers of stale beer set out at soil degree; position forums or newspapers as traps; border with copper bands; give protection to vegetation in plastic tunnels.
• Organic controls. Lawn birds, woodpeckers, robins; snakes, toads, turtles; black rove beetles, centipedes, floor beetles, soldier beetles devour slugs and slug eggs.
• Herbal pesticides. Diatomaceous earth.
• Plant partners. Low-growing colour vegetation will refuge slugs; hand choose from underneath refuge.
Spider Mite
• Description. Tiny spider-like arachnids: pink, black, or brown.
• Prone vegetation. All fruits and vegetables vegetation.
• Harm. Suck plant juices inflicting stippled leaves that yellow, dry, and drop.
• Emergence time. Scorching, dry climate; many generations in a 12 months.
• Prevention and controls. Spray chilly water or answer of water, wheat flower, buttermilk on leaves; soapy water sprays; gentle horticultural oil sprays.
• Organic controls. Ladybugs; lacewings, predatory mites.
• Herbal pesticides. Liquid rotenone or pyrethrum; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs; insecticidal cleaning soap; horticultural oil spray.
• Plant partners. None.
Squash Computer virus
• Description. Flat-backed, shield-shaped black or brownish computer virus to five/8-inch lengthy with triangle on its again.
• Prone vegetation. Vine vegetation: cucumbers, muskmelons, pumpkins, squash, watermelons.
• Harm. Sucks plant juices and injects toxin leading to wilt and dying.
• Emergence time. Adults emerge when squash vines start to develop.
• Prevention and controls. Hand pick out; stay lawn freed from particles and hiding puts; use trellis to lift off of floor clear of insects; mud with wooden ashes and lime; duvet with spun polyester blanket or different row duvet; plant resistant sorts; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle.
• Organic controls. Tachinid flies
• Herbal pesticides. Sabadilla; rotenone mud; liquid rotenone or pyrethrum; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Plant entice vegetation: marigolds, radishes, tansy, or nasturtiums within reach.
Squash Vine Borer
• Description. Fats, white caterpillar with brown head. Grownup is moth with pink, black, and copper rings to 1½-inch lengthy.
• Prone vegetation. Vine vegetation: cucumbers, muskmelons, pumpkins, squash, watermelons.
• Harm. Bores into stems, stems or plant wilts.
• Emergence time. Overdue spring.
• Prevention and controls. Wrap strips of nylon stocking round stems to stay adults from laying eggs; mound soil as much as blossoms and stay lined; duvet with spun polyester blanket or different row duvet; plant resistant sorts; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle.
• Organic controls. Trichogramma wasps.
• Herbal pesticides. Rotenone; sabadilla; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs. Additionally diatomaceous earth.
• Plant partners. Plant early summer time squash round past due wintry weather sorts as entice crop. Wreck infested early summer time squash and replant for past due crop.
Noticed and Striped Cucumber Beetle
• Description. Yellow beetle with black head and 3 huge black stripes or spots at the wing covers; beetle to ¼-inch lengthy. Larvae: narrow, white grubs.
• Prone vegetation. Cucumbers and different vine vegetation; beans, corn, peas, and vegetation of many vegetation.
• Harm. Larvae feed on roots and stems; adults feed on leaves and photographs; can transmit wilt and mosaic virus.
• Emergence time. Adults emerge in past due spring.
• Prevention and controls. Hand pick out; mulch round vegetation; duvet vegetation with spun polyester blanket or different row covers; plant resistant sorts; mud with wooden ashes or rock phosphate; develop vegetation on trellises; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle.
• Organic controls. Braconid wasps, tachinid flies, really helpful nematodes.
• Herbal pesticides. Liquid rotenone or pyrethrum; sabadilla; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. Interplant with catnip, tansy, or radishes.
Tarnished Plant Computer virus
• Description. Oval, brown and mottled yellow and black computer virus to ¼-inch lengthy; very cellular.
• Prone vegetation. Beans, celery, chard, lettuce, strawberries, peaches, pears.
• Harm. Suck juices from stems, buds, and culmination leaving black spots and pitting; injects toxin that deforms vegetation, blackens terminal shoots, dwarfs and pits fruit; can raise fireblight.
• Emergence time. Spring.
• Prevention and controls. Stay lawn frees of plant particles; white sticky traps.
• Organic controls. None.
• Herbal pesticides. Sabadilla mud; liquid rotenone or pyrethrum; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. None.
Thrips
• Description. Very tiny to minute bugs, yellow, brown, or black with slim, fringed wings; go away darkish fecal pellets in the back of.
• Prone vegetation. Onions, beans, cucumbers, corn, melons, squash, tomatoes, many vegetation.
• Harm. Scrape plant tissue, scars leaves, stems, culmination; transmit viruses.
• Emergence time. 5 to fifteen generations consistent with 12 months; sluggish replica in wintry weather.
• Prevention and controls. Stay lawn freed from weeds and particles; position aluminum foil mulch round vegetation; diatomaceous earth; soapy water sprays; yellow stick traps.
• Organic controls. Inexperienced lacewings, girl insects, predatory mites.
• Herbal pesticides. Liquid rotenone or pyrethrum; insecticidal cleaning soap; use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs; tobacco and sulfur dusts.
• Plant partners. None.
Weevils
• Description. Many varieties of small beetles; most often brown or black and tear-shaped with hard-shelled our bodies and lengthy snots. Larvae are small whitish grubs.
• Prone vegetation. Maximum greens, additionally apples, blueberries, cherries, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries, strawberries.
• Harm. Puncture holes in leaves, stems, and culmination, occasionally defoliating vegetation. Larvae devour into roots, fruit, and stems.
• Emergence time. Over-winter in soil; adults emerge in past due spring.
• Prevention and controls. Hill up soil round stems of candy potato vines; rotate vegetation; take away plant particles; time planting to keep away from insect enlargement cycle.
• Organic controls. Recommended nematodes, spiders..
• Herbal pesticides. Diatomaceous earth. Pyrethrum, rotenone: use with care, pesticides additionally kill really helpful bugs.
• Plant partners. None.
Wireworm
• Description. Larvae of click on beetles: ⅓- to 1½-inches lengthy; darkish brown to yellowish jointed, cylindrical, hard-shelled, legless trojan horse steadily perplexed with a millipede.
• Prone vegetation. Potatoes, beets, beans, lettuce, carrots, cabbage, corn, onions, muskmelons, turnips.
• Harm. Chews roots, seeds and tubers; vegetation wilt and die.
• Emergence time. Beetles lay eggs in soil in spring; worms emerge and take 2 to six years to achieve maturity.
• Prevention and controls. Domesticate to show worms and discourage egg laying; plant inexperienced manure crop equivalent to clover. Potato entice: bury halved potatoes reduce facet down in soil to entice worms then discard potatoes after two days.
• Organic controls. Recommended nematodes.
• Herbal pesticides. Tobacco mud or tobacco tea.
• Plant partners. Alfalfa and clover vegetation repel wireworms.
