COMMON HOUSEHOLD PESTS
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COMMON LAWN & ORNAMENTAL PESTS & DISEASES
Chinch Bugs
You do everything right. You water your lawn regularly. You feed it when you're supposed to. Yet, here and there, you have what looks like drought damage. If you live in the south Florida and have St. Augustinegrass or zoysiagrass, you could be entertaining a whole troop of chinch bugs. These nasty little critters suck your grass blades dry. Then they inject a poison that kills them. They can kill patches or your entire lawn.
Turf Fungus
Turf Fungus is a major problem in south Florida. It loves hot, sticky weather. Brown patch fungus grows in circular patterns sometimes several feet wide. Dull mower blades and over watering increases the likelihood of your turf getting some form of fungus.
Sod Webworms
Lawn moths are the flying adults of the sod webworm. If you've got a beautiful, thick lawn, you may get singled out to host a population of these lawn killers. The adults can (and do) fly to the lawns of their choice. They actually pick the better lawns in which to lay their eggs. Sod webworms chew the grass blades off leaving patches that look like they've been scalped.
Aphids
Small, typically less than 1/8 inch long, range in color from bright orange or red to dull gray, may or may not have wings. • Attack almost all types of trees and shrubs, sucking sap from twigs, stems or from leaves, causing them to curl. Large infestations reduce plant growth and vigor. • Most aphids excrete large quantities of honeydew, a sweet, sticky substance that attracts wasps, ants and bees and can serve as a medium on which black fungus can grow
Spiraling Whiteflies
The Spiraling Whitefly is fairly new to the south florida area. This pest not only causes damage by feeding, but may also transmit plant viruses. Whiteflies are capable of rapid reproduction once summer heat arrives, intensifying infestations. The spiraling whitefly affects over 500 plants types, most notably Coconut Palms. Damage from the whitefly can result in leaf drop and a messy mold residue in the surrounding area.
Ficus Whiteflies
The ficus whitefly causes extensive damage to ficus trees and hedges. The leaves of ficus trees infested with whiteflies begin to turn yellow and are dropped from the plant. Defoliation is one of the most obvious symptoms of an infestation of ficus whitefly. Treatments should be done on a preventative basis to avoid hedge damage and or loss.
Scale
There are many types of scale that attack plants and shrubs here in south florida. They suck the juices from trees and shrubs. Feeding may reduce plant growth and cause yellow spots to appear on leaves prior to premature leaf drop. Scales can excrete honeydew, a sweet, sticky substance that attracts wasps, ants and bees and can serve as a medium on which black fungus can grow.