Spider mites on their web. Notice the mottled yellow foliage from feeding damage

Spider Mites

These pests target many different plants. They are common on many perennials, roses, fruit trees, needled evergreens like spruce and juniper, and even vegetable plants and houseplants. They damage foliage by piercing plant cells with their mouth parts and sucking out the juices. This gives the leaves a stippled appearance with small yellow spots and may cause bronzing of the foliage.  

Spider Mite Control

• Spider mites thrive in hot, dry conditions and seem to especially target plants that are stressed due to drought or poor nutrition. One of the best controls is to keep your plants healthy through proper watering and feeding.   
• Spraying affected plants with a jet of water will knock many off and the moisture will temporarily create unfavorable conditions for these mites.  
• Bonide All Seasons Oil or Neem Oil can be sprayed on your plants to smother the mites and this is another good non-chemical means of spider mite control.
• For severe infestations, the application of a miticide  may be necessary to control spider mites. Bonide Mite-X, Bonide Captain Jack's Deadbug Brew, and Bayer Advanced Natria Insect, Disease & Mite Control are listed for control of spider mites.

ALWAYS READ and FOLLOW the LABEL directions when using any pesticides.

Aphids clustered on the stems of goldenrod

Aphids

Aphids are small, soft bodied, pear-shaped insects with piercing, sucking mouth parts. Like the spider mites, they suck plant juices causing curling and distortion of leaves and stems in a wide range of plants. In addition, some aphids are a vector for many viral diseases, spreading them from plant to plant as they feed. They also secrete a sugary substance called honeydew as they feed. A black fungus called sooty mold grows on the honeydew and is not only unsightly but slows down photosynthesis.  

Controlling Aphids

• A strong jet of water from your hose will usually knock them off. Repeat this as necessary.
• Spray with an insecticidal soap, Bonide All Seasons Spray Oil, Bayer Advanced Natria Multi-Insect Control, Bonide Neem Oil, Bonide Pyrethrin, or Bonide Mite-X (all listed for organic gardening)
• Spray Bonide Eight on ornamentals and edibles.
• Ornamentals can be treated with Bayer Advanced All-In-One Rose & Flower Care (DO NOT use on fruit trees, vegetables, or other food crops!).
• Ornamental trees and shrubs can be treated with Bonide Annual Tree & Shrub or Bayer Advanced 12 Month Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed.

Beetles including Japanese Beetles

Mexican bean beetles can be devastating to bean crops.

There are many different kinds of beetles that are damaging to plants. Most are chewing pests that eat leaves and stems. The most common beetles that I battle in my garden are Japanese Beetles, Colorado Potato Beetles, and Mexican Bean Beetles. They chew the leaves to lace and destroy my plants and vegetables! Cucumber beetles feed on the foliage but their main threat is that they are vectors for the devastating bacterial wilt that affects cucurbits, especially cucumbers and melons.

Beetle Control 

• Hand picking is the safest method of control for beetles, however this is often difficult if not impossible to keep up with.
• Luckily, many different beetle species can be controlled with the same insecticides. Always check the label for the specific beetle you have.
  • Bonide Beetle Killer
  • Bonide Eight
  • Bonide Captain Jack's Deadbug Brew (for organic gardening)
• Kill the beetle grubs that are in your lawn!
       Click here for tips on killing these grubs 

ALWAYS READ and FOLLOW the LABEL directions when using any pesticides.

Euonymus scale coats a stem

• Natural predators like the lady beetle do a good job at suppressing heavy infestations of scale insects.
• If the problem isn't extensive, infested branches can sometimes be pruned out but if a shrub is repeatedly infested year after year, it may be wise to remove it and replace it with a more resistant variety.
• If chemical treatment is necessary, the timing of the application is important. The best time to control scale is when they are in the crawler stage. Killing the first generation of crawlers provides the best control because at the time these hatch, the adults from the previous year have already died. 
  
  • Horticultural oil sprays are very effective in killing the crawlers. Bonide All Seasons Oil and Pure Spray Green (from the makers of Clear Choice) are good choices. It is imperative to coat every surface of the plant (all sides of the leaves and stems) in order to achieve the best control.
  • Systemic insecticides such as Bayer Advanced All-in-One Rose & Flower Care and Bonide Annual Tree and Shrub also provide effective control of crawlers and will also help suppress the adult stages of the scale insect.

Thrips on a daylily petal

On foliage, thrips damage appears as brown stippling on the leaf surface and when damage is more severe, the leaves may appear silvery or papery in appearance. Flower buds can become distorted and sometimes fail to open. Thrips damage on open flowers appears as dead spots, blotches, or the flowers may be discolored or deformed.

Thrips damage. Note how tiny they are

             
Controlling Thrips 

• Prune off damaged flowers, buds, foliage, or terminal growth and discard in the trash.
• Vigorous, healthy plants can more easily outgrow thrips damage so keep plants healthy with proper fertilization and watering practices.

• There are many different products labeled for controlling thrips:

  • Bonide Captain Jack's Deadbug Brew
  • Bonide Eight
  • Bayer Advanced Natria Insect, Disease & Mite Control
  • Bayer Advanced All-in-One Rose & Flower Care

You should know! 

Even natural or organic products can be deadly to pollinators like bees. If possible DO NOT spray when plants are in bloom. If this is not possible, spray early in the morning or later in the evening when bees are less active and ALWAYS read the label!