The Baddies

NAME & DESCRIPTION	TREATMENT OPTIONS	ILLUSTRATIONS

Aphid – Most plants are affected especially serious on roses outdoors. Aphids are small soft bodied insects, which range in colour from yellow-green to dark-green, purple, brown and black dependant on species and the time of year, their bodies are pear shaped. They live on plants in dense colonies and have both wingless and winged forms.	Spray with contact insecticides as soon as colonies are detected. Repeat after three weeks. Birds are also good for helping to keep colonies down. Attract birds to your garden by supplying nesting boxes for Blue & Great Tits. A Ladybird or Lacewing box can help encourage beneficial insects. Aphidius or Aphidoletes is the natural biological control. More Information

Mealy Bug – Many indoor plants are affected but almost always most serious on cacti and succulents of all kinds. Mealybugs are small, soft-bodied insects which have sucking mouthparts. Females are oval in shape and can be up to 5mm. They are white or whitish-pink in colour and are generally covered in a white waxy material. They have filaments around the edge of their bodies and tails. Some species produce "waxy wool" in which to lay their eggs. The males, if produced by the species, are delicate winged insects.	The old method was to touch colonies with paint-brush dipped in meths. Spray with systemic insecticide. Cryptolaemus or Leptomastix are the biological control. More Information

Scale Insect – Scale insect feed on the sap of the plant and large numbers will lead to yellowing of the leaves and in extreme cases total defoliation. There are two distinct groups of scale insects - soft scale and hard scale. The most commonly found soft scales are Coccus hesperidum - the adults are 3-5mm long, green to brown in colour, oval- shaped and appear slightly flattened (see picture left), and Saisettia coffeae - the adults are 5mm or longer in length, deep brown in colour and dome-shaped. Hard scales have an armoured body, rather like a ladybird and do not produce honeydew.	Spray with systemic insecticide to kill adults and contact insecticide for immature forms. Again the old method was to touch colonies with paint-brush dipped in meths. There is currently no biological control for hard scale insects available but the biological control for soft scale insects is Metaphycus helvolus. More Information

Caterpillars – Many types of plants are affected, but especially serious on vegetables. More or less rounded holes eaten in leaves and fruit. Small caterpillars may be evident.	Only take destructive action if the caterpillars are really causing major trouble to the plant. Pick off insects by hand and move to a wild location.
	Spray with contact insecticide
	Use the biological control Di-pel

Red Spider Mite – Many types of plants are affected, especially serious on chrysanthemums, fuchsias, poinsettias and carnations. Plants shriveled and festooned with cobweb-like webbing which seethes with minute mites. During the summer the adults are just visible to the naked eye and can be found on the underside of leaves. They can be any colour from yellow, green, orange, brown or even black depending on the host plant although all have 2 dark spots on the rear of the body. The females over winter in the cracks of greenhouses and conservatories and emerge to lay eggs when the temperature rise and the daylight increases	Apply water mist spray to prevent mites from establishing.
	Apply derris regularly to check attacks.
	Soft soap spray also works well
	Biological control is Phytoseiulus More Information

Whitefly – Most indoor plants are affected but especially serious on tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and egg plants. Adult Whitefly are small, white, waxy winged insects that fly off the plant as soon as they are disturbed. They tend to stay close together and often congregate at the top of the plant. Whitefly should not be confused with Aphids which shed their skin leaving them on the leaves. To tell the difference shake the plant, whitefly will fly off whereas Aphid skins will remain motionless.	Spray with contact insecticide as soon as detected: repeat every ten days.
	Sticky yellow traps also work well.
	Biological control is Encarsia More Information

Vine Weevil – Most indoor plants affected, but especially serious on orchids, begonias, cyclamen and primulas. The adult beetle is flightless, it is dark brown or black in colour and has fine yellow speckles on its back, and appears dusty. The adult is nocturnal so rarely seen during the day. Most commonly found are the larvae (grubs), these are found in soil or compost around the roots of plants. The larvae are creamy-white in colour with a brown head, they curl into a "C" shape when touched	Avoid accumulations of debris, dust HCH dust in compost if larvae are found when repotting
	Armillatox is excellent ...water at 500/1 fortnightly ...kills the eggs on contact
	Biological control is Heterorhabitis nematodes (trade name Nemesys)
	More Information

Thrip – Many flowering greenhouse plants, especially orchids, arum lilies and azaleas. Leaves, flowers and buds with tiny fleck marks; “thunder-flies” crawling over affected plants. Small, slender insects about 2-3mm long when fully grown. The adults have two pairs of narrow wings fringed with long hairs, the wings are held along the back when at rest. Colours range from pale yellow to black, dependant on species	Ensure that plants are not allowed to dry out or placed under other stress.
	Blue sticky traps work well.
	Biological control is Amblyseius -
	Spray insects with derris.