Bonnie Nowicki
Quail Creek home landscapes, including vegetable gardens, trees, and fruit orchards, are part of a biological system that includes soil, topography, water, plants, and insects. There will always be good and bad insects in our environment. I strongly suggest you monitor your landscape and regularly check for signs of damage from hungry insects. To minimize damage, look at the fresh, tender shoots and underneath leaves for pests.
Along with close monitoring, identify the insect and general symptoms. Insects with sucking mouthparts, such as aphids, whiteflies, and leafhoppers, cause the leaves to turn yellow and will leave sticky secretions. Ragged edges and holes in the leaves show that chewing insects, such as caterpillars, beetles, or leafcutter bees, have been on your plants. Agaves are bothered by two pests: the agave snout weevil and the agave plant bug. The agave snout weevil burrows into the heart of the plant, deposits eggs that develop into grubs, and causes rot and collapse of the plant, and death soon follows. Treatment with broad–spectrum insecticide is effective when applied in April through June. The very tiny agave plant bug feeds by piercing the agave leaves and scarring the plant. A solution of liquid blue Dawn controls this pest.
It’s a good idea to keep a notebook of insects you find, what plants they’re on, and what time of year. This will nip a problem before an infestation. Then you must decide your control options and how much damage is acceptable. Handpicking and squashing large insects is efficient, and birds love the tasty treat. A blast of water from a hose is another effective way to control pests like spider mites. Barriers or sticky traps are other options.
Maintaining healthy plants, watering correctly, and fertilizing only when needed are important habits. Also keep your yard weed-free and tidy so insects won’t be attracted to litter for food or shelter. Several beneficial predator insects are green lacewing larvae found under leaves. They consume aphids. The reddish, black-spotted lady beetle larvae also feed on aphids. The big-eyed bug consumes whiteflies and caterpillars. A little insect management will go a long way to keep your landscape looking beautiful.
Happy gardening!