KNOWING YOUR GARDENING PESTS

There are common garden pests you may see so often.  Who they are and how to get rid of them?  Examples are as below.

Scale Insect

The size of scale insect is tiny.  Female scale insect don't have legs and wings.  They will lean on leaves and stems.   Male scale insect has wings.  They feed on juice of  leaves and stems, which will make the plant turns yellow and fallen leaves, died eventually.

Prevent & Control:

  1. Cut the infected parts.
  2. Use a soft brush and dip it with water, then, scratch the back of the leaves and stems.
  3. Clear the weeds and improve air circulation.
  4. Spray the scale insect with diluted alcohol.

Stink Bug

Adult stink bugs feed on fruits and nymphs feed on leaves, stems and fruit.  Its tendency to release an odor when disturbed or when crushed.  The stinky fluid that they quirt will cause a burning sensation of the skin or even a skin ulcer.  They are active in Spring and Summer.

Prevent & Control:

  1. Prepare a bowl of water and add a few drops of soap liquid.  Then, catch them in wearing gloves, put them in the bowl.
  2. Clear the weeds and affected parts with stink bugs eggs.

Aphid

A common pest on many plants, these sap-sucking insects are often noticed feeding in clusters on new plant growth.

Prevent & Control:

  1. Apply organic insecticides, for example, Kingbo or  Neem.
  2. Clear the weeds, remove and destroy all infected plant parts.
  3. Home-made pesticide.  Pepper Spray - mix 10 g of smashed hot chill  in 600 g water.
  4. Apply Sapindus Mukorossi water. Just soak a few Sapindus Mukorossi in thewater for a few days before use.

Armyworm

This destructive garden pest travels in small insect armies and consumes just about everything in its path.  The assault is mostly aerial, with the gray moths usually arriving under cover of darkness to lay eggs.  The biggest invasion of armyworms usually occurs after a cool, wet spring.

Prevent & Control:

  1. Apply organic insecticides.
  2. Clear the weeds, remove and destroy all infected plant parts.

Phylloreta Striolata

Phyllotreta Striolata is the major pest of Choi Sum, Pai Choi, Radish as well as cross section of vegetables.   It's the major threat to seedlings, the peak period is usually from March-June and September-November.

Prevent & Control:

  1. Apply organic insecticides.
  2. Clear the weeds, remove and destroy all infected plant parts.
  3. Insect net (non-woven fabric).

Bactrocera Dorsalis

The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera Dorsalis (Hendel), is a very destructive pest of fruit in areas where it occurs.  They will lay the eggs in fruits, and rotten fruits.

Prevent & Control:

  1. Apply organic insecticides.
  2. Remove those rotten fruits and melons.
  3. Put a pest net to individual fruit and melon.
  4. Use fly sticker.

Liriomyza spp

Name as 「 鬼 劃 符 」 in local.  It is a major pest all over the world.  It mainly affects pea, spring onion, garlic, melon, tomato, spinach as well as cross section of vegetables and etc.  Female imago will do sap-sucking and lay eggs on the leaves.  A lot of white dots on the leaves, and irregular trace can be seen.

Prevent & Control:

  1. Apply organic insecticides.
  2. Clear the weeds, remove and destroy all infected plant parts.

Spider Mite

Often found on the undersides of plant leaves, these tiny sucking pests feed by piercing leaf tissue and sucking up the plant fluids. Feeding marks show up as light dots on the leaves. As feeding continues, the leaves turn yellow and may dry up and drop off.

Prevent & Control:

  1. Apply organic insecticides.
  2. Clear the weeds, remove and destroy all infected plant parts.
  3. Apply Sapindus Mukorossi water.  Just soak a few Sapindus Mukorossi in thewater for a few days before use.