Gardeners cannot identify the pest destroying their yard
Gardeners are experiencing issues with animal damage (raccoons, Liquid Fence), unexplained plant abnormalities (white balls, variegated leaves), and general garden upkeep. There's a sense of frustration and seeking identification/solutions.
SOURCES (60)
“Definitely leafhoppers. I have them on my hydrangeas. Also some green ones like this. Just keep an eye out and if there are too many of them you might have to intervene. If not - let them be, some other insects and birds will eat…”
“Random vine like plant coming out of my bush covered in these tiny yellow and white specks. It’s so full it almost looks like it’s changing colors submitted by /u/Btothenelly [link] [comments]”
“oooooh no. those things were always what i'd see photos of and think "at least those don't live here". do you actually see them on a regular basis?”
“Sounds like scale insects. The white speckles are the bugs and the black is sooty mold from their residue. Neem oil should clear it up. Post a photo so someone can ID the bush for you!”
“I have looked high and low and can't see what is causing this damage. Ive taken some close up photos and think what I am seeing is some kind of 'frass'... submitted by /u/Bl0odroot [link] [comments]”
“I’m in northern westchester county in NY. Any ideas? Haven’t seen any signs of bugs, and I’ve been looking! This has been going on for months. The plants are still producing some but definitely don’t look great. submitted by /u/Previous-Painting638 [link] [comments]”
“I live in northern Colorado these dirt mounds with holes keep appearing. I have no idea what animal could be doing this. Thoughts? submitted by /u/Suspicious_Cry2043 [link] [comments]”
“The red stuff is cayenne pepper for the damn squirrels. Anyways are these bugs good or bad? submitted by /u/Mychgjyggle [link] [comments]”
“North Georgia. We just moved homes about a month ago, never seen these before. Any idea what they are and how to get rid of them? submitted by /u/jhendrix99 [link] [comments]”
“In southern CT, I hundreds of these things out by hand last year but they are seemingly all back (and with friends) this year and are taking over my backyard. How do I get rid of them for good? I do have a toddler and two dogs so would definitely prefer a non-toxic approach if one exists but I understand it may not. Thanks! submitted by /u/tony_the_homie [link] [comments]”
“Google image search can't seem to decide between aphids or thrips. submitted by /u/FlippingBirds_ [link] [comments]”
“So much misinformation under this post. They’re invasive. They’re also opportunistic and sometime away native slugs. They will absolutely eat your garden plants. And again, they’re invasive. They’re actively harmful to our native ecosystems (unless you’re in Europe).”
“No. It isn’t. Why are people repeating this? They occasionally eat native slugs and they’re invasive.”
“Just FYI it took me a long time to figure out the perspective of this image (source: I’m an idiot) so maybe edit and add more pictures where it’s easier to tell what we’re looking at. That said though, not sure what it is. Looks nasty. Cheers bud”
“Thanks for posting this, I had no idea it was good for monarchs. I've seen this and thought about digging it up.”
“I imagine this is what my neighbors lawn looks like on the other side of the fence. So much invading creeping Charlie.”
“I found this little mate in my back yard and it's different from others I have seen there before. submitted by /u/Talking_Aparatus [link] [comments]”
“Heey, I'm not quite sure what these bugs are on my ficus. It's still small, and I bought it just a month ago, there are no other plants in the room. These bugs are very small, beige/white, and they leave a slightly sticky trail and some kind of waxy substance behind. Can anyone tell me what they are? And how to get rid of it before it’s too late submitted by /u/Sufficient-Row-6297 [link] [comments]”
“I’ve seen these black beetles absolutely congregating on weeds in my yard but now they’re going after my creeping thyme. Any idea what they are/if they’re harmful? The thyme looks like it’s dying now and I don’t know how to fix this. I try not to kill bugs bc I know a lot of them are important but I don’t want these guys killing my plants. They don’t seem to have gotten to any of my veggies but they’re in raised beds so idk if that’s why. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! submitted b”
“I also have a ton of ants on the lemon tree. submitted by /u/ZOMBIE_N_JUNK [link] [comments]”
“I've seen many clip a fake dragonfly to their hat or shirt and it helps too. I haven't tried this yet myself. I tend to garden in the morning sun so I don't get bothered and can soak up a little natural vitamin D.”
“https://preview.redd.it/pb82v5ee5leh1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=3e6d6f5e24b282c277b1718fa58652dc83645ae5”
“No you can’t! So I am creeped out thinking that a group of teenagers are just sneaking into the yard on a dare and then seeing what they can get away with. My pet sitter said when he returned from dinner he saw a group of 5-6 teenagers on bikes in the driveway and they rode away when he came home”
I think your backyard used to be a Pokemon stadium or something.
“I know squirrels climb. So do chipmunks, raccoons, opossum and nearly any other wildlife that would be around. Squirrels don't usually take unbloomed sunflowers, they wait until it sets seed first. Just because you may not have deer, doesn't mean the OP doesn't.”
“Started seeing it come up only a few weeks ago, and it just keeps spreading. No idea where it came from submitted by /u/fortkn0xx_ [link] [comments]”
“I hope it’s not what I think it is, but there is a ants going after what I assume is the sap coming off the tree submitted by /u/doctorbear94 [link] [comments]”
“I’ve seen this on one of my leaves before and discarded of it just in case it was some type of pest and now it’s coming back. Should I be concerned? submitted by /u/anonalligator [link] [comments]”
Correct. Black and white faces are ladybugs. They are usually carnivores.
“Getting these guys off the tomato plants with the black light submitted by /u/TayBalboa73 [link] [comments]”
“Hopefully they don’t take this one down. Got an even better picture. Getting the hornworms off our tomato plants with black light at night submitted by /u/TayBalboa73 [link] [comments]”
“I’ll try that how often do you put it out every year? I haven’t had any issue since I started to use it. But if they ever come back I’ll switch up.”
“Recently saw this in my backyard. What spider is this. Looks like a black widow but I'm not sure. submitted by /u/coachwilcox1 [link] [comments]”
They scrape off the fibers to create their nests. These are paperwasps.
“I stacked some stones from my yard in a tower and covered it with hay and damp it every day when I water for my toads. I’m totally organic more so than organic, I make all my own ammendments. I never have bug invasions because of my balanced eco system and I attribute that also to my 24 toads I love”
“These are on a petty pan squash, but doesn’t look like your typical squash beetle. Should they stay or go? submitted by /u/Pretty_Nice_Dragon [link] [comments]”
Are these insect eggs? submitted by /u/throwaway914267 [link] [comments]
“We had a mouse run out from our tomato plants the other day. Since then, we’ve used crushed ghost/habanero pepper and some peppermint spray. Today, we found pellets that look like little corn cobs all around the garden. Is it mouse poop? submitted by /u/guitargangster [link] [comments]”
“At first I thought eggs or some sort of infestation, but looking closer it looks like growths? submitted by /u/Eat_My_Mochi [link] [comments]”
“Thanks for your comment, I’ll look into that. I see chipmunks too, but I’m pretty sure the holes I’m talking about are made by voles because they make tunnels, eat my hosta roots and leaves, tulip bulbs and Siberian irises. I’m not the op, so he might have a different problem”
“Can I please interject to say that Houttuynia is the bane of my existence and it's been ruining my life for the past couple years.”