Border Pest Control
Bug-BytesTM April 2006

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In this issue… 

    1.    Aphids and Scale
    2.    Powdery Mildew and Sooty Mold Diseases
    3.    Grubs
    4.    Q&A - How do I know what pest or disease is injuring my plants?
    5.    Quick Facts

Aphids and Scale

While aphids and scales may look like plant diseases, they're actually insect infestations. Scale insects feed on the juices of the plant and then excrete a great deal of a sticky, sap-like substance called honeydew. Since this honeydew is high in sugar it tends to attract other insects including ants and bees. If you see a waxy blob on the stem of your shrub or tree, it contains the female scale and will hold hundreds of eggs that will grow to feed on the plant.  

Powdery Mildew and Other Plant Diseases

Powdery Mildew is a fungus that looks like a powdery coating on a plant's leaves. It will rarely kill a plant but some shrubs can be heavily damaged, especially if such things as drought conditions already stress the plant. The trees most commonly affected by powdery mildew are euonymus, hollyhock, crabapple, catalpa and chokecherry, but almost any tree or shrub can get powdery mildew. Sooty Mold is a dark fungus that grows on the honeydew excreted by scales and is most commonly seen on box elder, elm, linden, and maple trees.

Grubs

Grubs are the larvae of a beetle, some being the Japanese beetle or the June beetle. The adult beetle has been lying dormant over winter underground and, in spring, emerges to mate and lay eggs. These eggs become grubs that feed throughout the summer on grass and flower roots. Since they feed on roots, the damage first appears to be drought stress but the tunneling will quickly make the ground spongy underfoot and the turf can be easily rolled back like a carpet.

Q&A - How do I know what pest or disease is injuring my plants?

Accurate identification is essential! The insects that you see may not be pests or they may not be the ones responsible for the injury that you find. Also, many control measures are effective only against specific pest groups or diseases, so selecting the proper tactic is important. A pest control technician's experience is crucial for accurate identification. They can identify the problem and then help you choose the best course of action.

Quick Facts

  1. Newborn aphids literally are born pregnant, with eggs that will result in live births within 10-14 days.
  2. The male scale insect does not feed on anything, and shortly after mating he will die.
  3. More trees are lost to insects each year than are injured by forest fires.
  4. Beetle larvae are considered a delicacy in many countries.
  5. One of every five living species in the world is a beetle.

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