Trying to control squash bugs can feel overwhelming once these pests become established in your vegetable garden. Killing adult squash bugs is difficult because they hide under leaves and vines and have a tough outer shell that is resistant to normal pesticides. A squash bug (Anasa tristis) feeds on squash, zucchini, pumpkins, and other cucurbit…
If you grow squash or other cucurbit plants in your vegetable garden, it’s important to understand how to prevent squash bugs from becoming a recurring problem. Because adult squash bugs can overwinter in garden soil and plant debris, they are notoriously difficult to manage once established. The key to a healthy squash crop is proactive…
Squash bugs are one of the most destructive pests for zucchini, pumpkins, and other squash plants, but they are often mistaken for stink bugs and other similar insects. Since treatment methods vary depending on the pest, it’s important to identify them correctly before trying to control an infestation. This guide explains how to identify squash…
If ants are invading your home, borax ant killer recipes are one of the most common homemade solutions people try before turning to store-bought products like Terro. In this test, I compared four borax ant bait recipes – sugar (wet), sugar (dry), honey, and peanut butter – against a commercial Terro liquid ant bait. Each…
Are you looking for natural ways to get rid of ants in and around your home? You don’t need harsh chemicals to deal with them. There are simple home remedies and natural ant repellents that disrupt their scent trails and discourage them from returning. Ants are one of the most common household and garden pests,…
Mealybugs on plants is a common pest for indoor plants and succulents. These bugs look like a fuzzy, white coating on the leaves of your plants. Signs of a mealybug infestation are a white cotton-like substance on the plants, sticky amber colored honeydew, ants around your plants, or a layer of black “soot” on the…
The tobacco hornworm is a voracious eater that can do a great deal of damage in a flower or vegetable garden. It is a pest in the family Solanaceae. The tobacco hornworm is quite commonly seen in the southern United States, especially the Gulf Coast States. Its range extends northward as far as New York. Caterpillars…
There are dozens of vinegar uses in the home. From soaking your sponges to keeping your counters free of ants, this product is a must have. Vinegar is a versatile and effective household product that is more useful than just for making salad dressing. There are many vinegar uses around the house and garden. One of the…
I, for one, and many of my gardening friends have noted the declining bee population. And those that do visit our yards are the bumble bees, rather than the honey bees. With all the talk of GMOs, pesticides, and large-scale farming, one has to ask the question, “How important are bees to our Food Supply…
Critters in the garden range from beneficial to invasive. Some actually are listed by the US Department of Agriculture as invasive pests that need to be controlled. See my tips for dealing with these unwanted bugs. This post was sponsored on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection…
Mother Nature has the perfect answer for summer bugs- mosquito repelling plants! We can grow annuals, perennials, and herbs that will keep the bugs away naturally. With summer comes lots of outdoor living. Sadly, that can mean lots of mosquitoes. I don’t like to use chemical products so this natural solution is great for keeping…
It is ant season again! You can kill ants with various home remedies, but are there are lots of other things that you can do to keep ants out of the house? As soon as the weather starts to heat up, and particularly after a warm rainy day, ants decide that indoors is a good…
I love to feature photos from some of the fans of my Facebook page. Today I’ll be featuring the lovely butterfly and insect photos of a fan named Tamara. Fans of my Facebook page love to submit photos of their gardens and projects for me to consider for this website and The Facebook page –…
We all know that gardens need bees for pollination but so many other garden insects will find their way into a garden too. Just provide them with flowers and leaves, and they will seem to find us! There is nothing like wandering around in my garden and seeing the wildlife in the form of insects…