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Insect Pest Treatment Strategies

Insect Pest Treatment Strategies
Use chemical controls only as a last resort!

 

 Insect Pest

 Cultural Controls

Mechanical Controls 

 Biological Controls

Ants

 

Keep indoor surfaces clean.

 

Seal entrances into your home. Pour boiling or soapy water down holes or on ants. Apply diatomaceous earth in active areas.

     


Aphids

 

Do not over-fertilize plants.

 

Apply soap wash to aphid- infested areas. Pull heavily infested plants.

 

Apply ladybugs around infested plant.

 

Boxelder Bugs

 

     

 

 

 

 

Control nymphs with a soap wash. Clean up leaf debris to control over-wintering adults.

 

 

Cabbage Loopers

 

 

Plant dill with cabbage.

 

Spray with Bacillus Thurigensis (BT).

 

Cockroaches

 

Eliminate clutter. Keep areas clean.

 

Seal up cracks. Apply diatomaceous earth in active areas.

 

 

Elm Leaf Beetles

 

 

 

Larvae can be controlled with a new strain of beetle BT.

 

Flies

 

Compost food waste outside. Seal up garbage and dispose of regularly.

 

Install, fix or replace screens to keep out flies. Use a fly- swatter.

 

 

 Insect Pest

 Cultural Controls

 Mechanical Controls

 Biological Controls

 

Mites

 

Do not over-fertilize plants.

 

Wash plants with soap and water. Apply 1:4 dilution of rubbing alcohol and water.

 

Apply predatory mites.

 

 

 

Mosquitoes

 

Stay inside during times when mosquitoes are especially active.

 

Eliminate standing water. Use screens on doors and windows.

 

 

Attract birds (such as swallows) and bats to you yard that feed on mosquitoes or put BT cakes in ponds and bird baths.

Potato Beetles

 

 

Plant beans near potatoes.

 

Scale

 

 

Scale Gently scrub scales off plant with a stiff brush or scrub pad. Apply a 1:4 dilution of rubbing alcohol and water to plant and soil. Spray with dormant oil to suffocate larvae.


 

 

Slugs

 

 

Apply diatomaceous earth in active areas.


 

 

 

 

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