Search - Articles

wasp traps to catch them before they do any damage. Otherwise, there is little that can be done.Nearby wasp nests can be eliminated by calling in professional pest control companies, or if the infestation is small enough, tackle it yourself with an over

When apple trees are in flower, the sawfly, Hoplocampa testudinea, lays its eggs in the developing fruit. In June, the larvae tunnel their way under the skin of the fruit and into the core, causing the apples to fall. When they're ready, they tunnel

The problem looks worse than it is. Miniscule mites secrete chemicals that cause blistering or blotches on the new leaves, which gradually turn blackish-brown. Although the mites breed prolifically, producing several generations over summer

can be eliminated by calling in professional pest control companies, or if the nest is small enough, by using a proprietory product from any hardware store.fruit trees and busheslate-summer to autumnMore common garden pestsSlugsAphidsEarwigsMealybugs

, pyracantha, sorbus all year roundMore common garden pestsAphidsWhiteflyLeaf miner flyEuonymus scale

.apples, pears, quince, walnutsspring, summerMore common garden pestsMullein moth - on verbascum, buddleja and figwort.Elephant hawk moth on fuschia plants.Caterpillars on any plants.Cabbage white caterpillars on brassicas and nasturtiums.

the emerging aphids. Don't wait for the symptoms to appear, as there's no point in spraying once the leaves have become puckered.blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants early to mid-winter, springCommon garden pests affecting fruit treesWolly aphids on apple

The horse chestnut scale insect was first found in the UK in the late 1960s, having come over from southern Europe. It is now widespread and common in the south of the UK and Ireland, and is spreading northwards. Mature, adult horse chestnut scale

into the plant and can be present in concentrated forms in the nectar and pollen of flowers. If you do use these chemicals, remove any flowers before they open, as they will also kill any bees that visit them.mint, pennyroyalMay-SeptemberMore pests of herbs

Tiny sap-sucking scale insects. They are 1-6mm long, and their whitish, grey-brown shells are covered by protective, waxy scales. The insects don't cause too much damage unless they are present in huge numbers, but some excrete an unsightly, sticky