A Compendium of Common Creepy Critters
A Compendium of Common Creepy Critters
| PESTS |  onion maggot |
|
 cabbage worm |
|
 corn ear worm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SYMPTOMS |
Yellowing/wilting of outside leaves. Bulbs soft/squishy Tunnels through bulbs |
Stunted, distorted leaves with curling/yellowing. Grayish-white clusters of tiny insects at bases of leaves and stems. |
Various size holes in leaves, sometimes stripped down to the leaf rib. | Large, irregularly shaped holes in leaves, some stripped to leaf ribs. | Chewed off silk, tunnels in kernels at tip of ear |
|
TREATMENT: Prevention |
Don’t plant in rows Compost damaged onions Plant resistant varieties |
Avoid high nitrogen levels Plant good bug blends |
Disturb soil in fall Compost old plants Plant resistant varieties |
Heavy mulch Disturb soil in fall to unearth overwintering insects |
Plant resistant varieties Plant good bug blends |
| Mechanical | Row covers until after hatch in late spring |
Hard spray of water Sticky traps Reflective mulch |
Hand picking Row covers |
Hand picking Row covers |
Hand picking after silk browning Close husk with rubber band |
| Beneficial/ Biological | Beneficial nematodes | Ladybugs Lacewings |
Bacillus Thuringiensis Parasitic wasps Pheromone traps |
Bacillus Thuringiensis |
Bacillus Thuringiensis Trichogramma wasps |
|
Mineral/ Botanical Insecticides* |
Wood ashes (Not recommended for alkaline soils) Diatomaceous earth |
Neem Diatomaceous earth Pyrethrins/ Rotenone |
Diatomaceous earth Pyrethrins/ Rotenone |
Neem Diatomaceous earth Pyrethrins/ |
Neem Mineral oil Pyrethrins/Rotenone |
