Central Florida has MANY pests that can be found in the home garden.  This is a quick list of some of the more common pests, the type of damage they can cause and how to control them.

 Name Damage Control
Aphids Eats plant juices causing wilting and transfers
diseases
Natural: Lady Bugs
Chemical: Malathion
Armyworm Eats leaves and shows up in large numbers Natural: Birds
Chemical: Pyrethroids
Bean Leafroller Eats leaves of legumes and uses them as shelter Natural: Polistes spp
Chemical: Pyrethroids
Cabbage Looper Eats leaves of many plants and leaves many holes Natural: Trichoplusia ni
Chemical: Malathion
Cucumber Beetle Larva eat stems and roots adults eat leaves of
many plants.
Natural: Lady Bugs
Chemical: Pyrethroids
Diamonback Moth Eats all parts of plant but prefers near bud. Natural: Spiders and Wasps
Chemical: Not effective
Corn Earworm Bores into fruits and vegetables of many types Natural: Lady Bugs
Chemical: Pyrethroids
Flea Beetle Eats leaves, can kill seedlings. Natural: n/a
Chemical: Malathion
Hornworm Eat leaves, often superficially Natural: braconid wasp
Chemical: Pyrethroids
Leafminers Kills the leaves that they live in Natural: Parasitic Wasps
Chemical: Pyrethroids
Leafhoppers Kills leaves and causes leaf drop on many other
leaves
Natural: Spiders
Chemical: Malathion
Pickleworm Bores into blooms and fruit of many vegetables Natural: Not effective
Chemical: Pyrethroids
Mexican Bean Beetle Shred leaves leaving a “Skeleton” appearance Natural: Birds and Toads
Chemical: Malathion
Cowpea Curculio Feeds on legume seeds inside the pods Natural: Red fire ants
Chemical: Not effective
Spider Mites Feeds on leaves often killing entire plant Natural: Lady Bugs
Chemical: Malathion (limited effectiveness)
Squash Vine Borer Bores into stems of plants causing dehydration Natural: Parasitic Wasps
Chemical: Pyrethroids
Thrips Eat blooms and young tender leaves Natural: Predatory Mites
Chemical: Malathion
Whieflies Suck Sap.  Causing
dehydration and mold.
Natural: Lady Bugs
Chemical: Soap

This list is not comprehensive but does include some of the more common pests.  We will be adding pictures of each pest as we receive them!

 

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