Insect Pest Treatment Strategies
Please use chemical controls only as a last resort!
Insect Pest |
Cultural Controls |
Mechanical Controls |
Biological Controls |
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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. |
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Aphids |
Do not over-fertilize plants. |
Apply soap wash to aphid- infested areas. Pull heavily infested plants. |
Apply ladybugs around infested plant. |
Boxelder Bugs |
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Control nymphs with a soap wash. Clean up leaf debris to control over-wintering adults. |
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Cabbage Loopers |
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Plant dill with cabbage. |
Spray with Bacillus Thurigensis (BT). |
Cockroaches |
Eliminate clutter. Keep areas clean. |
Seal up cracks. Apply diatomaceous earth in active areas. |
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Elm Leaf Beetles |
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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. |
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Mites |
Do not over-fertilize plants. |
Wash plants with soap and water. Apply 1:4 dilution of rubbing alcohol and water. |
Apply predatory mites.
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Mosquitoes
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Stay inside during times when mosquitoes are especially active. |
Eliminate standing water. Use screens on doors and windows.
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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 |
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Plant beans near potatoes. |
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Scale |
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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. |
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Slugs |
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Apply diatomaceous earth in active areas. |
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