Vegetable garden insect pests are susceptible to many controls. Limit insect damage by identifying pests quickly and recognizing the damage they inflict.
Regular visits to the garden will help you spot pests before they become established. Then choose the most effective control given the infestation.
The quickest controls for light infestations are listed below under "prevention and controls." The "natural insecticides" listed here are the last line of defense; natural insecticides can harm beneficial insects if not used carefully. Encourage beneficial insects--listed under "biological controls"--as insect pest controls.
This list includes
26 common vegetable insect pests listed in alphabetical order.
To see common vegetable diseases with prevention and control suggestions, click here Vegetable Disease Problem Solver.
To see diseases and pests specific to the crop you are growig, find the crop by name in the Topic Index and click through or check crops by name in the How To Grow archive.
• Description. Tiny soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects may be pale green, brown, yellow, pink, blue, or black. Usually wingless but some females may be winged. Adults less than 1/10 inch long.
• Emergence time. Eggs over-winter hatch in early spring, throughout growing season.
• Susceptible plants. Nearly all vegetables, fruits, and many other plants.
• Damage. Sucks sap from leaves, fruit, stems causing foliage to curl, pucker, and yellow; loss of plant vigor; some transmits diseases such as mosaic; excrement supports black, sooty mold; attract ants.
• Prevention and controls. Spray away with strong water; soapy water spray; aluminum foil place on ground under young plants reflects the sky and confuses insets; as a lure, use yellow containers of soapy water, commercial yellow stick traps, or a board painted yellows an coated with sticky solution such as Tanglefoot; cover plant with Spun polyester blanket or other row cover.
• Biological controls. Ladybugs; spiders; syrphid flies; lacewings.
• Natural insecticides. Insecticidal soap; nicotine. Pyrethrum; sabadilla; use with care, insecticides also kill beneficial insects. Light horticultural oil spray.
• Plant companions. Plant aster and parsley family plants also alyssum or clover to attract aphid-easting beneficial insects. Onions and garlic may repel aphids. Trap crops: early cabbage, marigolds, and nasturtiums.
• Description. Blue-black with four white spots and red margins; oblong to ¼ inch.
• Emergence time. Over-winter in garden, emerge in spring.
• Susceptible plants. Asparagus
• Damage. Chews leaves and spear tips.
• Prevention and controls. Remove plants and debris after harvest; shake beetles from foliage into soapy water; use row covers as barrier early in season; use rock phosphate or bone meal dust on plants.
• Biological controls. Ladybugs, predatory flies.
• Natural insecticides. Pyrethrum, rotenone dust for serious problems; use with care, insecticides also kill beneficial insects.
• Plant companions. Beetles dislike tomatoes, nasturtiums, and calendula.
• Description. Light green caterpillar with yellow stripes running down back; loops as it walks. Adult is brownish night-flying moth with sliver spot in mid-forewing.
• Emergence time. Spring.
• Susceptible plants. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, collards plants, greens, beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes.
• Damage. Small to large holes eaten in leaves. Eats seedlings.
• Prevention and controls. Dust looper-worms with flour or salt; cover plants with spun polyester blanket or other row cover to prevent moths from laying eggs; plant resistant varieties, time planting to avoid insect growth cycle.
• Biological controls. Trichogramma wasps, lacewing, lady bug; Bacillus thuringiensis spray every 2 weeks.
• Natural insecticides. Rotenone; pyrethrum-diatomaceous earth blend; sabadilla; use with care, insecticides also kill beneficial insects.
• Plant companions. Celery as a trap crop. Intercrop with marigolds. Repelled by garlic, hot peppers, hyssop, onions, rosemary, sage, tansy, thyme.
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Vegetable garden insect pests are susceptible to many controls. Limit insect damage by identifying pests quickly and recognizing the damage they inflict.
Regular visits to the garden will help you spot pests before they become established. Then choose the most effective control given the infestation.
The quickest controls for light infestations are listed below under "prevention and controls." The "natural insecticides" listed here are the last line of defense; natural insecticides can harm beneficial insects if not used carefully. Encourage beneficial insects--listed under "biological controls"--as insect pest controls.
This list includes
26 common vegetable insect pests listed in alphabetical order.To see common vegetable diseases with prevention and control suggestions, click here Vegetable Disease Problem Solver.
To see diseases and pests specific to the crop you are growig, find the crop by name in the Topic Index and click through or check crops by name in the How To Grow archive.
Aphid
• Description. Tiny soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects may be pale green, brown, yellow, pink, blue, or black. Usually wingless but some females may be winged. Adults less than 1/10 inch long.
• Emergence time. Eggs over-winter hatch in early spring, throughout growing season.
• Susceptible plants. Nearly all vegetables, fruits, and many other plants.
• Damage. Sucks sap from leaves, fruit, stems causing foliage to curl, pucker, and yellow; loss of plant vigor; some transmits diseases such as mosaic; excrement supports black, sooty mold; attract ants.
• Prevention and controls. Spray away with strong water; soapy water spray; aluminum foil place on ground under young plants reflects the sky and confuses insets; as a lure, use yellow containers of soapy water, commercial yellow stick traps, or a board painted yellows an coated with sticky solution such as Tanglefoot; cover plant with Spun polyester blanket or other row cover.
• Biological controls. Ladybugs; spiders; syrphid flies; lacewings.
• Natural insecticides. Insecticidal soap; nicotine. Pyrethrum; sabadilla; use with care, insecticides also kill beneficial insects. Light horticultural oil spray.
• Plant companions. Plant aster and parsley family plants also alyssum or clover to attract aphid-easting beneficial insects. Onions and garlic may repel aphids. Trap crops: early cabbage, marigolds, and nasturtiums.
Asparagus Beetle
• Description. Blue-black with four white spots and red margins; oblong to ¼ inch.
• Emergence time. Over-winter in garden, emerge in spring.
• Susceptible plants. Asparagus
• Damage. Chews leaves and spear tips.
• Prevention and controls. Remove plants and debris after harvest; shake beetles from foliage into soapy water; use row covers as barrier early in season; use rock phosphate or bone meal dust on plants.
• Biological controls. Ladybugs, predatory flies.
• Natural insecticides. Pyrethrum, rotenone dust for serious problems; use with care, insecticides also kill beneficial insects.
• Plant companions. Beetles dislike tomatoes, nasturtiums, and calendula.
Cabbage Looper
• Description. Light green caterpillar with yellow stripes running down back; loops as it walks. Adult is brownish night-flying moth with sliver spot in mid-forewing.
• Emergence time. Spring.
• Susceptible plants. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, collards plants, greens, beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes.
• Damage. Small to large holes eaten in leaves. Eats seedlings.
• Prevention and controls. Dust looper-worms with flour or salt; cover plants with spun polyester blanket or other row cover to prevent moths from laying eggs; plant resistant varieties, time planting to avoid insect growth cycle.
• Biological controls. Trichogramma wasps, lacewing, lady bug; Bacillus thuringiensis spray every 2 weeks.
• Natural insecticides. Rotenone; pyrethrum-diatomaceous earth blend; sabadilla; use with care, insecticides also kill beneficial insects.
• Plant companions. Celery as a trap crop. Intercrop with marigolds. Repelled by garlic, hot peppers, hyssop, onions, rosemary, sage, tansy, thyme.