Cutworms Earwigs Corn Earworms Colorado Potato Beetles Slugs & Snails European Corn Borers
Many creatures in a garden are harmless or helpful. Bees move pollen, ground beetles eat pests, flower-fly larvae eat aphids, and decomposers recycle dead material. A chewed leaf does not automatically mean every nearby insect is guilty.
Become a garden detective
- Look at the whole plant. Note where the damage is, its shape, and whether it is new or old.
- Check the undersides of leaves, stems, nearby soil, and the garden after dark.
- Look for clues such as eggs, droppings, tunnels, webs, or slime trails.
- Photograph the insect and damage before removing anything. A local horticultural society, extension service, or identification guide may be able to help.
- Decide whether the damage is serious. A sturdy older plant can often tolerate a few holes.
Start with the gentlest useful step
- Keep plants healthy with appropriate water, spacing, and soil.
- Remove badly affected material and clean up known overwintering sites.
- Hand-pick a confirmed pest or use a trap designed for that species.
- Install a plant collar for cutworms or a floating row cover before flying pests arrive.
- Protect flowers and beneficial insects. Row covers must come off many fruiting crops at bloom so pollinators can visit.
This children’s guide emphasizes nonchemical methods. If a pest is causing serious damage and those methods are not enough, an adult should get current local advice. In Canada, a pesticide must have a Pest Control Product registration number and must be used exactly as its label directs.