Harmful Bugs for Your Flower Garden and What to Do About Them

Spring is in the air all around the Carolinas and Virginia. You can see it in the wildflowers and trees. You can smell it in the freshly fallen rain and new life springing up from the ground. Though we may be practicing social distancing throughout our area, we can still step out on our porch and enjoy the wonder of the season.

Now that the seasons are finally changing, it is time to begin planting your flower gardens to add some color to your yard. You may have already begun sowing seeds indoors and planning to transfer them outside this month.

Unfortunately, there are several bugs that can be detrimental to your garden and beautification efforts. Rid-A-Bug is here to help make sure pests in and around your home are under control. In this article, we are discussing some bugs that are potentially harmful to your garden and what you can do about them.

Bugs that Can Do the Most Harm to Your Flower Garden

Here are some of the most common garden pests in NC. Not only do these insects make a snack of our flowers, but they can also introduce harmful fungi and diseases causing destruction.

1. Aphids:

If you have done any gardening, you are probably familiar with aphids and the disastrous results they can have on flowers and plants. Aphids feed on plant sap, which causes damage to leaves and foliage. Their feeding also causes sooty mold growth and spreads plant viruses. There are a few ways to prevent aphids from taking over:

- Ladybugs feed on aphids- they can eat up to 5000 in their one-year lifetime! For this reason, it can be helpful to encourage the presence of ladybugs in your garden.
- Spraying plants with water can be effective in getting rid of aphids
- Applying a soap and water solution to plant leaves is another option
- Sometimes, companion planting can repel aphids from invading in the first place.

2. Lace Bugs:

Lace bugs feed on the underside of plant leaves, and they often go undetected until significant damage has been done. Plants should be inspected regularly during the growing season for the development of lace bug damage, especially if there has been a history of lace bug infestation.

3. Snails and Slugs:

Classified as mollusks, snails, and slugs are typically nocturnal, which means their damage is often detected before they are. These pests leave spmy trails on the ground and on plants. Because they can eat several times their body weight in one night, they can do a significant amount of damage in a short period of time.

4. Japanese Beetles:

These beetles feed on hundreds of different types of plants. A tell-tale sign of this type of insect being present is leaves that are “skeletonized,” or only have the veins remaining. They attack plants in groups, which is why they are so destructive.

5. Cutworms:

Active in May and June, these 1-inch worms drop larvae at night and can do a lot of damage to vegetables and flowers.

These are a few of the most harmful and potentially damaging pests to your garden. Pests near your home also often become pests in your home. Fortunately, Rid-A-Bug Exterminating has the experience and expertise to help you battle the bugs that are making your spring and summer months difficult.

Please reach out to Rid-A-Bug Exterminating if you would like more information on any of our services, would like to have a technician come out to your property, or for any questions or concerns; we would love to hear from you! If you have a pest problem, we typically respond within 24-hours throughout the piedmont and foothills of the Carolinas and Virginia. Give Rid-a-Bug a call today!

Published in Rid-a-Bug Exterminating Blog

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