HomeTopics...Gardening TipsPest Control

Common Garden Pests and Pest Control

And while most people are aware of insect pests, some are not aware that rabbits, squirrels and even deer can severely damage a garden.

Below is a list of some of the more common garden pests.

Aphids: Aphids can be found on almost any plant, sucking the juices out. Young plants are the most susceptible to aphid attacks.

Caterpillars: Butterflies may be beautiful insects, but as young caterpillars, they can do extensive damage to a garden by eating away at leaves, leaving holes and brown spots.

Deer: Deer can and will eat any plants in your garden. They're surprisingly fond of roses.

Japanese Beetles: Japanese beetles love to feed on garden plants. They normally start from the top and work their way down. While a single beetle doesn't do much damage, Japanese beetles almost always travel in large groups.

Rabbits: Rabbits absolutely love to eat plants normally found in your garden and can eat quite a lot.

Raccoons: Raccoons scavenge for food, and may go after freshly planted bulbs and seeds, bird food in your feeder or the fish in your pond.

Scale Insects: Scale insects feed on plant sap. They're strange, immobile insects that attach themselves to a plant and feed until the plant withers and dies. Scale insects are typically found on trees and shrubs.

Slugs and Snails: Slugs and snails feed on plant foliage and plant roots. Frequent attacks on the roots may prove to be fatal to plants.

Squash Bugs: Squash bugs are a very troublesome group of bugs because they feed on plants, but inject a toxin that kills the plant at the same time. Most squash bugs are resistant to pesticides, making them difficult to eradicate.

Thrips: Thrips feed on young plants and can cause extensive damage.

Weevils: Weevils feed on a variety of plants. Unfortunately, many weevils don't have many natural predators, so controlling them can be rather difficult.