• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Bees and Roses

Bees and Roses

Gardening ideas For Beginners. Gardening Tips. Gardening ideas. Get free gardening hacks from master gardener Jenny Wallentine.

  • All Things Garden
    • Useful Gardening Hints
    • Flowers
    • Trees
  • Outdoor Living
  • Landscaping
  • Plant Guide
    • Annuals
    • Perennials
    • Vegetables

Pests And Their Nests And What To Do About Them

May 15, 2019 by Jenny Leave a Comment

Anyone who’s been gardening for a substantial amount of time knows one thing, and they know it well: pests can destroy even the healthiest of gardening plots. But pests can be hard to identify, and it’s crucial you do so quickly to save your crops. Here are some of the most common garden pests, with some tips and tricks that will help you identify them (and their nests!).

Tips And Tricks For Pests And Their Nests

Spider Mites

To tell if your plants are being attacked by Spider Mites, you’ll have to examine the underside of plant leaves. This is where you’ll find their nests. Like normal spiders, spider mites will leave a fine webbing on the underside of plant leaves. If plant leaves are beginning to develop yellow “spots” like the photo below, it could be a sign of mites. To help sick plants, try raising humidity levels or spray undersides of the leaves with a strong spray of water. Use organic pest control sprays if this method does not work.

pests | nests | pests and their nests | gardening | garden | gardening tips | tips and tricks | tips and tricks for gardening

Ants

Though it’s pretty easy to spot where the ants are nesting in your garden, ants are pretty tricky to get rid of! Typically, Ants are a result of another problem, like Scale. This is because Scale insects secrete a waste product that is tasty to ants. To treat, first determine your plant is healthy and treat any pests should they be existent. For the ants, Diatomaceous Earth sprinkled in their path will do the trick.

pests | nests | pests and their nests | gardening | garden | gardening tips | tips and tricks | tips and tricks for gardening

Scale

I’m using the term “scale” as a broad term that covers all scale insects that could be harming your plant. These pests create nests and attach themselves to the roots, stems, or leaves of garden and household plants for no apparent reason. The bugs often don’t look like anything more than an odd growth, especially when on tree trunks. Plants suffering from a scale insect infestation may have deformed leaf growth, be dropping leaves, and covered in brown pockmarks. Unfortunately, if your plant is dealing with a large infestation, treatment requires the removal of ALL infected leaves and branches. Smaller cases can be treated with this neem-based leaf shine on houseplants. Apply regularly until all insects have been killed. Pesticides should ONLY be used as a last resort because they usually aren’t effective against scale anyway.

pests | nests | pests and their nests | gardening | garden | gardening tips | tips and tricks | tips and tricks for gardening

Weevil

Weevils are those creates that leave bite marks in your leaves. Aren’t they annoying? Not only are the adult Weevil bugs a headache for gardeners, but their larvae can actually burrow into the ground and cause plants to die. If you suspect you may have Weevils, you can treat them with by introducing beneficial nematodes and introducing them to your garden. They’ll actually destroy 230 other potential pests, too! Protect your plants from future infestations by surrounding plants with Diatomaceous Earth. They can’t fly, so this will stop them in their tracks!

pests | nests | pests and their nests | gardening | garden | gardening tips | tips and tricks | tips and tricks for gardening

Aphids

If you keep finding clusters of small insects (but no webs!) on the undersides of your plant leaves, you could be dealing with an aphid infestation. Aphids will nest along the undersides of leaves and on the stalks of plants, secreting a sticky liquid that can cause black mold. To treat mild infestations, clean plants with a mixture of mild dish soap and water. For something larger, feed them flour. This causes them to become constipated and die.

pests | nests | pests and their nests | gardening | garden | gardening tips | tips and tricks | tips and tricks for gardening

Other Pest Control Tips and Tricks

For larger pests like deer, try my DIY deer resistant spray. It’s totally safe on plants, but will leave deer running for the hills! Additionally, I have a great article here that outlines how to use apple cider vinegar as pest control. Here are other home remedies for any kind of garden pest.

Filed Under: Plant Guide, All Things Garden, Outdoor Living, Useful Gardening Hints Tagged With: garden, tips and tricks, gardening, gardening tips, tips and tricks for gardening, pests, nests, pests and their nests

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Jenny

Hi, I’m Jenny Wallentine, a Certified Master Gardener, and lover of all things outdoors! My mission with beesandroses.com is to help you find useful, practical solutions to all of your gardening challenges--and help you love it as much as I do. I’ve come across many helpful tips and tricks to make gardening more enjoyable and more productive. You can learn how to layout your garden for a better yield, use a variety of natural pest controls, the “ins and outs” of organic gardening, and much more.

Sign Up!

**Posts may contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links

10% Off with Code CJ10! Abba Patio Provide You High Quality Outdoor Products! Free US Shipping!

  • Privacy Policy
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter