:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/GettyImages-1416022800-5fc1338eec914b65a444a131dfb3d640.jpg)
Once June arrives, don’t be surprised if these five common garden pests seem to show up overnight. Some are stealthy and require careful scouting to spot before they cause too much trouble, while others make their presence known with obvious signs of damage. By taking proactive steps now, you can minimize their impact and keep your plants healthy and thriving all summer long.
Bagworms
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/GettyImages-2150781959-b7d954555c684183a82ad3adaca5d852.jpg)
Bagworms are caterpillars, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis, that develop into moths. They are easily identified by the unsightly bags they construct during June in shrubs and trees as they feed. Bagworms most commonly attack evergreens like junipers, arborvitae, cypress, cedars, and broadleaved plants such as Indian hawthorn, azaleas, and various oaks. In addition to being unsightly, the caterpillars can partially defoliate and weaken the plants.
Handpicking bagworms off the plants is the cheapest way to control them. But you must destroy the bags by burning or drowning the pests. Eggs in bags thrown on the ground will hatch in the spring and develop into larvae that could reinfest the plants.
Aphids
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/GettyImages-1745018703-f5f1138145604f65a4afdac5bc16e4d0.jpg)
If you have plants, you probably have aphids. The tiny, pear-shaped, green, brown, white, or black soft-bodied insects can be found on flowers, vegetables, shrubs, and trees. They suck the sap out of plants giving off a sweet substance called honeydew. The sticky residue can cover a plant (and your garden furniture and car), allowing a black, sooty mold to grow. Once that happens, it’s difficult for the plant to survive.
The best way to control aphids is to keep an eye out for them. A spray of water from the garden hose can knock down a small group, or you can use an insecticidal soap. Repeat the treatment to keep your plants healthy.
Japanese Beetles
June is the start of peak activity for adult Japanese beetles, which feed on a variety of broadleaf foliage and ripe fruits. The Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, is a scarab beetle about 3/8-inch long. It is metallic green in color with copper-colored wing coverings. The beetle has five small white tufts under the wing covers on each side and one more pair projecting from the tip of the abdomen, which distinguishes it from similar beetle species.
The beetles tend to cluster together, and small numbers can be removed by hand. Watch for them and shake plants early in the morning when the beetles are least active, and collect them in a bucket of soapy water. There are baited Japanese beetle traps, but research at the University of Kentucky shows that the traps attract many more beetles than are actually caught. Susceptible plants along the flight path of the beetles and in the vicinity of traps are likely to suffer much more damage than if no traps are used at all.
Whiteflies
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/GettyImages-1072376502-cb24b6d984ea415f98e4027e2719b3d0.jpg)
Whiteflies behave like aphids and suck sap from the plants. Active during the day when temperatures are warm, they typically feed on the underside of the leaves, but you’ll see them rise into the air if you disturb the plant. Gardenias are one of their favorite munchies.
To control them, use an insecticidal soap, but be sure to spray underneath the leaves. They are attracted to the color yellow, so you can make a sticky trap to catch them by cutting a 12-by-6-inch strip of yellow poster board and coating it with petroleum jelly. Hang the trap vertically or support it on stakes just above the plants.
Stinkbugs
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/GettyImages-1368612454-1a1d7ba497bf4e48a62c345fe23f9558.jpg)
Stinkbugs are another sucking insect that feeds on fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals. Stinkbugs range in color from brown to brilliant green, distinguished by a triangle- or shield-shaped plate on their backs. They get their delightful name from the odor they emit when crushed, and unfortunately, there are multiple generations per year.
Adult stinkbugs can be challenging to control because they resist some insecticides. That’s why you must start your eradication campaign in June. Scout your garden for egg clusters and rub them off. To trap adults, place melon rinds in the garden overnight. The stinkbugs will congregate under them to feed, and you can dispose of them in the morning.
