BUGS!!!

By Kirk Vaughn

Bugs are awakening from their winter (relative) inactivity and are ready to start "bugging" our trees. They like nothing better than Spring's fresh new foliage growth.

How to combat the "Suckers?"

Last year was a bad year for scale in my neck of the woods. The scale apparently declared total war on my garden and then established a strong hold on some of my trees. I counterattacked with Ultrafine oil. Dormant oils can be used according to directions if you start while it is still cool enough. Cygon, a systemic, works. So does Dursban.

For aphids, try insecticidal soap, Orthane, Disystron, Mavrik, and Diazinon if available. I like to start with the least toxic product that will do the job.

Attack Mealybugs with the soap, Orthane, Cygon, Dursban, and Diazinon.

Wage war on Mites with soap, Kelthane Disyston, and Pentac

Lacebugs can be battled with the soap, Sevin, Disystron, Diazinon and Malathion if available. More about lacebugs later.

I have not encountered problems with Thrips or Whiteflies, but it you do, hit the Whiteflies with soap, Ultrafine oil, or try Thiodan. For the Thrips use soap, Dursban, Orthane, Mavrik, or Malathion if available.

While waging war on the "Suckers", do not forget their allies, the "Chewers."

Slugs and snails are rampant and often maneuver at night. Non toxic traps are available and can be homemade. If chemical warfare is your tactic, try Methaldehyde Methaldehyde+Carbaryl. There are baits on the market, but be careful. Pets may think this slug bait is food and eat the poison.

For Leafminers use Cygon. Caterpillars can be fought with Orthene or Sevin. 

Sevin works on beetles and so does Diazinon.

Again a lot of these products represent a pretty powerful arsenal. Use with caution and in strict accordance with directions, heeding all label warnings.

Back to Lacebugs, I have seen very good Azalea Bonsai look terrible from an attack by these pests. Lacebugs live on the underside of the leaves and therefore can go undetected until their damage is apparent. Their eggs spend the winter on the underside of the leaves and hatch in the spring – that's now and probably no later than mid-March for our ssouth Louisiana area. Unless you start treating now and stay on top of this problem you will have damaged leaves on your azalea. Be sure to treat the undersides of your leaves if using soap. I have used Cygon the last couple of years because of it being a systemic product and have had good results.