Most Common Garden Pests in Northern California

Your garden is an eco-system comprised of plants and animals of different shapes and sizes. Some of these creatures can actually be beneficial and help your plants thrive and grow. And on the other hand, there are some creatures that can wreak havoc on your garden, undermining the hard work and time you have put in.

There are two ways to identify a pest infestation in a garden. First, you can see the pests that have invaded your garden with your own eyes. Second, you might not see these pests yourself, but you can see the damage they have left in their wake.

What are these common garden pests that you have to watch out for and what can you do about these?

Red spider mites

These small creatures can cause yellow mottling in plants by sucking the saps. The best way to deal with these pests is to raise the humidity in your garden. If this fails, consider using organic sprays.

Gall mites

Like red spider mites, gall mites suck the sap of plants. Apart from that, these mites cause abnormal growth, including raised pimples on the leaves.

Leaf miners

The term leaf miners refers to the larvae of beetles, flies, moths, and sawflies which leave a distinctive, if not unsightly, pattern on leaves. Apart from these unsightly patterns, leaf miners can also cause serious damage to plants.

Box suckers

Box suckers are the nymphs of box psyllids. These pests are commonly found in spring on the shoots of plants. To eliminate these pests, all you need to do is to cut off the affected parts of the infested plants.

Codling moths

The maggots of the codling moth attacks apples. Keep these pests at bay by applying bifenthrin spray during midsummer. You can also use pheromone traps in spring in order to prevent the mating of the moths.

Winter moths

Gardeners often notice winter moths infesting their fruit trees during the spring when these pests can be found webbed together on the leaves. The caterpillars of these moths bore holes on the leaves. Eliminate these pests by applying sticky traps which catch the moths.

Scale insects

Notice signs like tiny blisters, shell-like bumps, sticky excretions, and sooty mold on the back of the leaves of your plants? You’re dealing with scale insects. Remove these by washing off the mold and then applying horticultural oil on the affected plants.

Viburnum beetles

Both the larvae and adult viburnum beetles can cause serious damage to plants if these are left unchecked. Both can create unsightly holes on the leaves. Apart from those, these pests can slow down the growth of plants. Curb these by spraying either bifenthrin or thiacloprid.

To learn more about how to control pests in your home or business, be sure to contact your local Modesto pest control company.