Home › Garden pests

Quick help

Garden pests

The common garden pests, one page each: how to spot it, what it's often confused with, and what to do.

Sap-suckers

Small insects and mites that feed on sap, leaving sticky, speckled or curled leaves.

Aphids

Aphididae (hundreds of species)

Stink bugs

Nezara viridula, Halyomorpha halys, Musgraveia sulciventris and related shield bugs

Thrips

Frankliniella occidentalis, Thrips tabaci and related species

Spider mites

Tetranychus urticae and related species

Mealybugs

Planococcus citri, Pseudococcus and related species

Whitefly

Trialeurodes vaporariorum, Bemisia tabaci and related species

Squash bugs

Anasa tristis

Scale insects

Armoured scales (Diaspididae), soft scales (Coccidae) and related families

Chewers and miners

Holes, ragged edges and tunnels in leaves, flowers and fruit.

Slugs and snails

Cornu aspersum (brown garden snail) and many other species

Earwigs

Forficula auricularia and related species

Japanese beetle

Popillia japonica

Cabbage white caterpillars

Pieris rapae and Pieris brassicae

Tomato hornworm

Manduca quinquemaculata and Manduca sexta

Sawfly larvae

Caliroa cerasi, Arge, Euura and many related species

Leaf miners

Liriomyza, Phyllocnistis citrella and many other species

Fruit, roots and soil

Pests that feed inside fruit, in potting mix or under the lawn.

Fruit fly

Bactrocera tryoni, Ceratitis capitata and related species

Fungus gnats

Bradysia, Sciara and related species (Sciaridae)

Lawn grubs

Phyllopertha horticola, Heteronychus arator, Popillia japonica and related scarab beetles

Codling moth

Cydia pomonella

Cutworms

Agrotis, Noctua and related moth species