Plant Pests

Squash bugs are notable garden pests. They are large, their penetrating mouthparts do considerable damage to all parts of vulnerable plants, and worst of all, they reproduce pretty quickly – and can be difficult to get rid of without a specially tailored approach. I know more than a few gardeners who have wound up at … Read more

If you’ve been following the news or social media, you may have heard of the deadly Chagas disease. On this note, you might have heard rumors that Chagas disease is spread by assassin bug bites. If you’re asking yourself, “can you get Chagas disease from assassin bug bites?” the answer, unfortunately, is yes. You can … Read more

An assassin bug infestation is no laughing matter. If you’ve ever dealt with these pests before, you know how frustrating it can be to have them on your property. Although some types of assassin bugs are completely harmless to humans and would rather spend their entire life cycles outside in your garden, munching on garden … Read more

Thinking about an assassin bug is enough to make your skin crawl. Not only are these pests creepy to look at, but they have the power to conjure up some serious nightmares. Carriers of the serious Chaga disease and fellow bug-killers in their own right, assassin bugs are shrouded with myths and rumors. Ready to … Read more

Bagworms (Latin name Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) are tiny little creatures that will not harm you, but can be highly destructive to the trees on your homestead. These non-poisonous worms feed on the leaves of trees and plant foliage – sometimes in massive quantities. Over 100 different trees are targeted by bagworms. These parasites are native to … Read more

Bugs in the garden is not necessarily a bad thing. Sure, there are vile, destructive insects that want all of your growing groceries for themselves – but then there are other bugs that yearn to dine upon the bad bugs. Many bugs that are good for your garden are probably already living in the growing … Read more

You aren’t the only one who loves a nice, crisp apple or a fresh plum. Fruit flies love fresh, seasonal produce too, and sometimes they have the nasty habit of making their way into your home or garden before you have a chance to even enjoy your tasty fruit. Fruit flies, (the genus is called … Read more

I love honeybees… Without them, we would all die because they pollinate much of the food we eat and most flowering plants. But, I never feel even the tiniest bit guilty of swiftly ending the lives of yellow jackets on our homestead. Yellow jackets serve their purpose in the ecosystem because not only do they … Read more

Japanese beetles can destroy the bulk of your garden crop in just days. They not only have a devastating impact on growing plants, but are extremely difficult to get rid of. Short of standing in your garden around the clock plucking the Japanese beetles off the plants and squishing them beneath your feet, there is … Read more

If you find a hammerhead worm on your property, it could mean bad news for your garden! Here’s what you need to know…

Here’s what I do to keep my cabbage free from cabbage worms naturally. I’d love to know what works best for you!

I discovered a new garden pest on my grapevines this morning. Here’s what I’ve learned about this pesky caterpillar, and what I’m doing to control it organically.

Finding tiny worms in your freshly picked raspberries is a real bummer. If you’re having a problem with the larvae of fruit flies in your berries, you’re not alone. Here are a few recommended methods for preventing a recurring infestation next year.

Artichoke plants have a common enemy- the earwig. There are a few tricks to getting them to leave your globes alone… or you could just do what I did 😉

This is one nasty bug that will leave you with a heck of a painful bite. Just ask my four year old… poor little fella!! I am SO thankful I found just the right herb growing in my yard to treat his throbbing thumb!