Vegetables Archives - Page 3 of 5

Mites

Mites are small arthropods with two body regions, sucking mouthparts, no antennae, and four pairs of legs as adults. The life cycle of a mite has four active stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. The life cycle requires one to four weeks and can result in high populations when there are favorable conditions. There are … Read more

Millipedes

Although their name suggests otherwise, these nocturnal, hard-shelled, worm-like creatures don’t have a thousand legs, but only up to a mere 400. Slow moving and ranging from 1/2 to 2 inches in length, they’re found in moist soil and garden debris; they often curl up when disturbed. A few types of millipedes are pests, but … Read more

Mexican Bean Beetles

Most common in the East, these copper colored beetles, each with 16 black spots, resemble ladybird beetles in size and shape. The legless, 1/3 inch long larvae are yellow with six rows of long, black-tipped spines along their backs. Both adults and larvae feed on leaf undersides. Target: Beans. Damage: Leaves are chewed to lace; … Read more

Mealybugs

Common on houseplants, these sap feeding aphid relatives are also found outdoors in warm climates. The name ‘”‘mealybug’”‘ refers to the female insects’ powdery wax coating- a shield that prevents insecticides from penetrating. Colonies are often dense enough to make a cottony mound on leaves or, more typically, on stems. Target: Soft tissues of most … Read more

Leafrollers

The name ”leaf-roller” applies to the many species of caterpillars that roll leaves around themselves as they feed, creating a protective tube. Color and size vary with the species. Some leafrollers attack only one type of plant, while others eat numerous kinds. When disturbed, leafrollers wriggle backward and drop from the plant on a silken … Read more

Leafhoppers

There are some 2,500 species of these small, agile, wedge-shaped insects; many types are handsomely colored and patterned. Both adults and nymphs, which look like wingless or short-winged adults, suck sap from leaf undersides. Some species favor just one kind of plant, while others enjoy a wide variety. Leaf hoppers run sideways when disturbed and, … Read more

Leaf Miners

This is a catch all name for certain moth, beetle, and fly larvae that tunnel between the upper and lower surfaces of leaves, ruining crops of leafy vegetables and disfiguring ornamental plants. Each species produces a characteristic pattern of winding trails or blotches, but specific identification of the guilty party isn’t usually required for successful … Read more

June Beetles

Varying in color and size by the species, this beetle flies after dusk and is attracted to light. The various common names, may beetle, June bug, June beetle, refer to the season when adults are active, but it’s the earlier larval form that should worry gardeners. Also called white grubs, the larvae resemble Japanese beetle … Read more

Imported Cabbageworms

These velvety, light green caterpillars are similar to cabbage loopers (see page 26) in size, but more conventional in gait. Older caterpillars have faint yellow stripes. Target: Primarily cole crops. Damage: Large, irregular holes are chewed in leaves, and the parts that aren’t eaten are contaminated with dark green excrement. Cabbage heads are tunneled. Life … Read more

Hornworms

Up to 5 inches long, hornworms are the larvae of large brown moths that fly like hummingbirds. Both tomato and tobacco hornworms are green with diagonal white stripes; the horn, at the pest’s rear, is black on the tomato hornworm, red on the tobacco hornworm. The caterpillars feed upside down on leaf undersides. Since they … Read more