Those of you less technologically inclined may get the same results by capturing the questionable insect in a jar and taking it to your local agricultural extension agent for identification. (Visit www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/ to find the closest extension agent to you.)
No matter how you identify the invertebrates in your garden, it's essential that you don't skip this step! I focused on insect identification first for a reason—you can't work to promote the good bugs and minimize the bad bugs if you can't tell them apart.
Worst garden pests
A survey by Mother Earth News showed that home gardeners' worst pests varied by location.
Although you probably won't be able to identify every invertebrate in your garden, it's worth knowing the worst offenders on sight. A Mother Earth News survey of 1,300 gardeners provided a list of the twelve worst pests in home gardens, which are divided up regionally on the map above. This section includes a quick run-down of the natural history and common treatment methods used for each pest. As you read, please keep in mind that many of the mainstream organic treatments mentioned in this chapter aren't quite as kind to the earth as a permaculture gardener might like—I'll suggest alternatives later in the text.
Aphids are often found in large colonies being tended by ants. The aphids benefit from predator protection, while the ants are allowed to consume excess plant sap that shoots through the aphids' system before it can be digested.
Aphids include many species of tiny insects that suck the juices out of plants. I find it interesting that aphids rank #3 on Mother Earth News 's survey of worst garden pests because, in my own garden, they only show up when I'm guilty of over-fertilization, and even then are quickly wiped out by predators. Mother Earth News gardeners treat aphids by pruning off infected parts, attracting beneficial insects, and applying insecticidal soap. I recommend first lowering the nitrogen content of your fertilization campaign, then ensuring that you have plenty of natural predators to go around.
The most common species of cabbageworm (top photo) is the larva of the cabbage white ( Pieris rapae ), sometimes confusingly called a "cabbage moth" even though it is really a butterfly. The southern cabbageworm (bottom photo) is the larva of the related checkered white ( Pontia protodice ), which is more common in the southern U.S. A few other caterpillars are also sometimes called cabbageworms.
Cabbageworms come in multiple species, explained above. The most common cabbageworm is the caterpillar of the cabbage white, which I find easy to control by hand-picking in my own garden. Southern cabbageworms are much harder to control since they tend to live inside the florets of broccoli plants, where they're inaccessible until after harvest.
Mother Earth News gardeners have reported luck with control strategies that include Bt, spinosad, row covers, and promoting caterpillar predators (such as paper wasps and yellow jackets). Timing seems to be relatively effective in my garden, since the cabbageworms are killed (or at least slowed down) by frosts in the fall and early spring. If we can get our broccoli and cabbage sets out into the garden early enough in the spring, we see little damage before harvest; similarly, a late-fall planting also misses the peak cabbageworm season.
Corn earworms are primarily a cosmetic problem in the home garden. Photo credit Ruth Hazzard, University of Massachusetts.
Corn earworms ( Helicoverpa zea ) are caterpillars that tunnel into the ends of ears of corn, as well as into tomatoes and a few other crops. Despite being on the Mother Earth News top-pest list, I consider earworms to be only a cosmetic problem in our garden. Most of our ears of corn never get damaged, and it's easy to break off the affected portion on those that do. If you can't stand blemished fruit, though, you can prevent earworm damage by applying
No matter how you identify the invertebrates in your garden, it's essential that you don't skip this step! I focused on insect identification first for a reason—you can't work to promote the good bugs and minimize the bad bugs if you can't tell them apart.
Worst garden pests
A survey by Mother Earth News showed that home gardeners' worst pests varied by location.
Although you probably won't be able to identify every invertebrate in your garden, it's worth knowing the worst offenders on sight. A Mother Earth News survey of 1,300 gardeners provided a list of the twelve worst pests in home gardens, which are divided up regionally on the map above. This section includes a quick run-down of the natural history and common treatment methods used for each pest. As you read, please keep in mind that many of the mainstream organic treatments mentioned in this chapter aren't quite as kind to the earth as a permaculture gardener might like—I'll suggest alternatives later in the text.
Aphids are often found in large colonies being tended by ants. The aphids benefit from predator protection, while the ants are allowed to consume excess plant sap that shoots through the aphids' system before it can be digested.
Aphids include many species of tiny insects that suck the juices out of plants. I find it interesting that aphids rank #3 on Mother Earth News 's survey of worst garden pests because, in my own garden, they only show up when I'm guilty of over-fertilization, and even then are quickly wiped out by predators. Mother Earth News gardeners treat aphids by pruning off infected parts, attracting beneficial insects, and applying insecticidal soap. I recommend first lowering the nitrogen content of your fertilization campaign, then ensuring that you have plenty of natural predators to go around.
The most common species of cabbageworm (top photo) is the larva of the cabbage white ( Pieris rapae ), sometimes confusingly called a "cabbage moth" even though it is really a butterfly. The southern cabbageworm (bottom photo) is the larva of the related checkered white ( Pontia protodice ), which is more common in the southern U.S. A few other caterpillars are also sometimes called cabbageworms.
Cabbageworms come in multiple species, explained above. The most common cabbageworm is the caterpillar of the cabbage white, which I find easy to control by hand-picking in my own garden. Southern cabbageworms are much harder to control since they tend to live inside the florets of broccoli plants, where they're inaccessible until after harvest.
Mother Earth News gardeners have reported luck with control strategies that include Bt, spinosad, row covers, and promoting caterpillar predators (such as paper wasps and yellow jackets). Timing seems to be relatively effective in my garden, since the cabbageworms are killed (or at least slowed down) by frosts in the fall and early spring. If we can get our broccoli and cabbage sets out into the garden early enough in the spring, we see little damage before harvest; similarly, a late-fall planting also misses the peak cabbageworm season.
Corn earworms are primarily a cosmetic problem in the home garden. Photo credit Ruth Hazzard, University of Massachusetts.
Corn earworms ( Helicoverpa zea ) are caterpillars that tunnel into the ends of ears of corn, as well as into tomatoes and a few other crops. Despite being on the Mother Earth News top-pest list, I consider earworms to be only a cosmetic problem in our garden. Most of our ears of corn never get damaged, and it's easy to break off the affected portion on those that do. If you can't stand blemished fruit, though, you can prevent earworm damage by applying
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