Bugs, rodents, critters, plague, what ever you want to call em.
They eat your leaves, your roots, new growth, and some even cut your plants off at the stem.
After countless arguments and pages of trolling I have come to the conclusion that THP needs some sort of pest guide.
Below is a ever updating table of pests and their known remedies, organic and otherwise. Also you will find a threat level of 0 to 10 under each pest ID area. Also includes is a photo of each pest and can be found by clicking [ IMG ] next to each pest name.
To find a pest quickly, press [ Ctrl ] + [ F ] and type the name of the pest.
Please keep in mind that my personal preference is to avoid harsh chemicals and pesticides if possible, however I will try to keep my bias to my self.
- Aphid IMG
Location: every where except Antarctica
Control: Water with dish soap, 1 Tbsp of soap per gallon (avoid run off in to soil if possible)
Biological Control: Ladybugs and other beneficial insects.
Prevention:
Damage caused: Chewed up leaves, damaged new growth.
- Broad mites IMG
Location:
Control: Broad mites are susceptible to various miticides. However, they are more difficult to control in winter than in summer due to lower greenhouse temperatures. Neem helps but may harm beneficials in the long run.
Biological Control: Broad mites are very sensitive to heat. Lowering infested plants into water held at 43 to 49�C for 15 minutes will destroy broad mites without damaging the plants.
Prevention:
Damage caused: chewing up leaves and growth tips.
- Brown Garden Snail IMG
Location: Warm regions of EU and US
Control: Products with: METALDEHYDE, IRON PHOSPHATE, COPPER SULFATE.
Biological Control: RUMINA DECOLLATA, a predatory snail that will eat the brown garden snail.Copper bands wrapped around the base of plants. Traps filled with beer or sugar water.
Prevention: Keep leaf litter cleaned up and remove any you see by hand.
Damage caused: The brown garden snail eats large ragged holes in leaves and may totally consume seedlings. Low growing plants generally suffer the most damage, but this snail climbs trees to feed and has been reported as a pest in citrus orchards.
- Cutworms IMG
Location:
Control:
Biological Control:
Prevention:
Damage caused:
- Deer IMG
Location: worldwide other than Antarctica
Control: Fencing, electric fencing, slicing scented soap around the area, tying a pie plate or CD to a stick so it flaps in the wind, buckshot, crossbows, landmines...etc.
Biological Control: dusting with hot pepper powder, urinating near gardens, guineas and peacocks, planting in close proximity to squash or pumpkins, natural thicket barriers
Prevention: not much other than good barriers, having local population stabilization aka hunting, probably would help to not deliberately feed them in proximity to your garden
Damage caused: Trampling, stripping of leaves, broken branches, clipping and topping...many plants may recover and pod if it doesn't happen too late in the season, too early in the season and some younger plants may not recover at all.
- Fungus Gnat IMG
Location: every where except Antarctica
Control: Neem, Azamax, Sticky Traps, Fly-in traps, Diluted Hydrogen peroxide soil drench.
Biological Control:AACT, Predatory insects. Spiders like Orb Weavers catch the adults in webs. Fly-in traps.
Prevention: Don't over water, leave the top of the soil dry as long ass possible between watering.
Keep your grow area clean of leaf litter and allow for predatory insects to roam your garden.
Damage caused: The larva can eat the roots of the plant slowing or stunting production
- Leaf Miners IMG
Location: every where except Antarctica
Control: No controls for the vegetable leafminers are recommended. Many insecticides have poor activity against these insects and often insecticide applications will make problems worse, by differentially destroying natural enemies.
Biological Control:AACT, Predatory insects. Spiders like Orb Weavers catch the adults in webs.
Prevention: Keep your grow area clean of leaf litter and allow for predatory insects to roam your garden.
Damage caused: Tunneling in leaves
- Leafhopper IMG
Location: North America
Control: Chemical
Biological Control: Organic - Diatomaceous Earth, beneficial insects, insecticides.
Prevention: Row Covers
Damage caused: Their toxic saliva causes spotting (white specks), yellowing, leaf curling, stunting and distortion of plants. They are also responsible for transmitting the organisms causing virus diseases in plants.
- Red spider mites IMG
Location: Everywhere
Control: Insecticidal soap, essential oils, Hot Pepper oil/wax, garlic oil, SM90, Azamax
Biological Control: A. cucumeris, D. coriaria (Rove Beetle), A. Fallacis, P. persimilis, S. punctillum, N. californicus, et al.
Prevention: Scouting/Inspection, Neem/Karanja oil, Lavender oil, companion planting (Chives, Mint, Yarrow. Dill), trap crops (Basil, Marigold, Beans)
Damage caused: Stippling on leaves, necrosis, stunted growth, plant death
- Root Knot Nematode IMG
Location: Everywhere
Control: Insecticidal soap, essential oils, Hot Pepper oil/wax, garlic oil, SM90, Azamax
Biological Control: "Solarization" is moderately effective: raised rows of soil are covered with plastic in the summertime. The high soil temperatures kill the nematodes. Several effective biological agents exist including Bacillus megaterium, Trichoderma album, Trichoderma harzianum, and Ascophyllum nodosum. These agents may not be available to the home gardner.
Prevention:Root Knot Nematodes can live on a wide variety of plants including grasses and weed species so prevention can be difficult once the pests are present.
Damage caused: The nematodes attack the roots of the plant and form galls (knots) on the roots that vary in size depending on the plant species. The root damage impairs the plant's ability to take up water and nutrients. Plants will droop even when there is sufficient soil moisture. Eventually plants will begin to show symptoms of Nitrogen deficiency (yellowing of lower leaves, stunted growth) even though there are sufficient nutrients in the soil.
- Stink Bugs IMG
Location: most moderate climates
Control: pheromone trap, physical trap, removal, insecticidal soap, hot pepper sprays, pyrethroids
Biological Control: Orius insidiosus(Minute Pirate Bugs), Trissolcus spp. (parasitic wasp, exclusive to Asia)
Prevention: Neem oil, garlic/onion spray, companion planting (Mint, Nasturtium, Coriander, Borage, Garlic), weed control, row covers, fall till
Damage caused: pinpricks surrounded by discolouration, rotting lesions, pathogen spread
- Scale PDF
Location: most moderate climates
Control: Some Scale species can be killed with soaps that dissolve their waxy coatings, but hard shell scales are not effected. Prune off heavily infested twigs and branches to eliminate scales when infestations are on limited parts of the plant. Pruning to open up tree canopies helps to control black scale, citricola scale, and possibly other species in areas with hot summers, such as the Central Valley of California. This pruning increases scale mortality as a result of heat exposure.
Biological Control: Scales are often controlled by small parasitic wasps and predators including beetles, bugs, lacewings, and mites. Predatory Chilocorus, Hyperaspis, and Rhyzobius species lady beetles (ladybugs) can easily be overlooked because many are tiny, colored and shaped like scales, or feed beneath scales.
Prevention: Ant control, habitat manipulation, and pesticide management are the key conservation strategies. Grow flowering plants near scale-infested trees and shrubs to help attract and support natural enemies. Adults of predatory bugs, lacewings, lady beetles, and parasitic wasps live longer, lay more eggs, and kill more scales when they have plant nectar or pollen and insect honeydew to feed on. Minimize dust, which interferes with natural enemies. For example, wash plant surfaces midseason, or when the foliage is covered with dust.
Damage caused: leaves may look wilted, turn yellow, and drop prematurely. Scales sometimes curl leaves or cause deformed blemishes or discolored halos in fruit, leaves, or twigs. Bark infested with armored scales may crack and exude gum. Certain armored scales also feed on fruit, but this damage is often just aesthetic. Soft scales infest leaves and twigs but rarely feed on fruit. A major concern with soft scales is their excretion of abundant honeydew, which contaminates fruit, leaves, and surfaces beneath plants. Honeydew encourages the growth of black sooty mold and attracts ants, which in turn protect scales from natural enemies.
- Thrips IMG
Location:Various species of thrips are present throughout North America
Control:Thrips can be very difficult to control with topical pesticides as they are able to hide in the tiny crevices of new leaves. Pyrethrins will kill on contact.
Biological Control
redatory mites, predatory thrips, parasitic wasps: note that these predator insects will only attack certain species of thrips, so identification of the problem insect is necessary. Spinosad has been reported as an effective treatment. Neem oil and "narrow range" oils that are canola based have been shown to be moderately effective, but must be reapplied frequently.Prevention:Removal of nearby overwinter host plants and weeds.
Damage caused:Thrips feed on the newest tender growth. Leaves will be stunted or deformed and will sometimes be hooked.
- Tomato Hornworms IMG
Location:
Control:
Biological Control:
Prevention:
Damage caused:
- Pepper weevils IMG
Location:
Control:
Biological Control:
Prevention:
Damage caused:
- Whiteflies IMG
Location:
Control: Azamax
Biological Control: AACT, Encarsia,
Prevention: Clean grow environment
Damage caused:
- Forum Troll IMG
Location: Interwebs
Control: Ignore them and they go away, eventually
Biological Control: Don't use computers
Prevention: None
Damage caused: Flame wars, aggravation, spam, and overall drama.
Please feel free to help create this resource wiki style. Post below using the following format:
(cut and paste the "PEST REPORT" in to your post
)Add a picture URL so that I can link it to the guide. with a [ IMG ] tag
Thanks for your help.
~Cayenne
)