Garden pests make their home on our plants and trees, feeding off foliage or the insects attracted to them.
One of the best ways to maintain a healthy garden is to educate yourself on the common garden pests that can wreak havoc on plants, flowers and trees.
From the Box Tree Caterpillar to the Earwig, many pests can have a devastating effect on our beautiful outdoor spaces. Not sure what the little pests look like? The gardening experts at The Greenhouse People have created helpful illustrations to help you identify what they look like — and how to naturally deter them. Take a look below...
The Box Tree Caterpillar is a very hungry caterpillar indeed, known for affecting the growth of box plants. 'They feed within webbing and these small but deadly pests can completely defoliate box plants,' they explain.
They are fairly simple to identify in the garden: 'If you spot the webbing, start searching for pale yellow, flattish eggs on the underside of box leaves – this is how you can judge the severity of the infestation.'
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The well-known Earwig is a common garden pest, known for loving dark, damp and sheltered places. These tiny creatures damage a whole range of plants, including dahlias and chrysanthemums.
While the Earwig may chew on some of your favourite flowers, they are also beneficial to fruit trees as they feed on aphids that attack the fruit.
The team explain: 'If your flowers are really suffering, it's best to initially try trapping these pests. Placing upturned flowerpots loosely stuffed with hay or straw amongst the plants being attacked can be useful for monitoring their numbers, but also be a great way to move them over to fruit trees where they can work their magic.'
This colourful little creature — with bright red wings — can cause serious havoc to the leaves of your lilies and fritillaria. Their fast-moving bodies might make them hard to spot, but you'll know they've come to visit if the leaves of your plants are full of holes.
'Their grubs cause the most damage of all, but luckily these plants can survive some gnawing, so pay attention to attacks in early summer on the bulbs and foliage,' The Greenhouse People explain. 'This can result in under-development and stop the plant flowering until the following year.'
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From cabbages to cauliflowers, spinach and sprouts, this small pest targets a whole variety of plants in the garden. Keep an eye out for their white greyish skin, as well as the waxy residue they leave behind — it's a giveaway that they've been on your plants. You're likely to find them on new leaves and vulnerable young plants.
If you find yourself unable to get these out of your garden, opt for eco-friendly sprays made from fatty acids or plant oils.
Do you have an apple tree in your garden? Well, the Rosy Apple Aphid is a common pest likely to target your delicious fruits. 'Carefully coloured the same shade of rosy red, they are hard to spot when in action. They feed on the sap and distort the foliage and fruit of the plants they feast on, causing leaves to curl and turn a yellowish colour, preventing healthy fruit development,' say the experts.
A great way to reduce the number of these pests is to encourage wildlife in your garden. They will naturally feed on the bugs.
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