Your Garden’s LEAST
WANTED
We’ve all heard of a garden’s MOST wanted insects; the good
guys like ladybugs, ground beetles and bumble bees. But let’s
talk about your gardens LEAST wanted; the culprits chewing
holes in your lilies, leaving sticky messes on your petunias, or
swirling in clouds amongst your grapes.
Ants
To effectively control ants, it’s important to understand how they
live and work. Ants are mostly scavengers, foraging for food
away from the colony. Though adults feast on insects, spiders and
even sap (NOT live plants) their tunnelling activity can be
a nuisance in lawns and gardens.
Ants come and go from the hill, however the queen remains underground.
Because she regulates the colony, control is aimed at eliminating her. Control
means getting the chemical deep down into the hill. For the most accurate control
of a hill, poke it with several deep holes then inject Doktor Doom Ant & Nest
Killer or a liquid solution of Malathion deep into the holes. Ants are considered
fierce protectors of aphids, as they feed off the sweet honeydew aphids exude.
Use a strong jet of water to wash aphids, ants and honeydew away, and if needed
consult the controls for aphids below.
Aphids
Found on many types of garden plants (perennials,
edibles, trees, annuals), the aphid is probably our most
prevalent garden pest. Aphids suck plant sap, causing
foliage to distort and leaves to drop. The honeydew
they excrete on leaves and bark can cause a sooty mold
growth. A strong jet of water will often damage these
soft bodied insects, but they can also be controlled with insecticides such as
End All insecticidal soap or Doktor Doom House and Garden insecticide.