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Earwigs are commonly found garden insects of the Dermaptera order, easily recognized by their appendages that resemble forceps or pinchers at the tail end of their bodies. These beetle-like insects have biting mouth parts that they use to feed on decayed plant material, flower petals and on fruits and vegetables. They will also feed on other insects, especially insect larvae, snails and slugs, just about any thing slow moving. Being nocturnal, they are found under rocks, wood, or other debris throughout the garden. The European Earwig is the specie most troublesome and annoying to the home gardener. First discovered in Newport, Rhode Island in 1911 and in Seattle, Washington in 1915, they can now be found from coast to coast. The females will lay her smooth, white eggs in early spring and will watch over them until they hatch and until the nymphs first molt, then she leaves to lay another batch of eggs. Young nymphs will feed on green plant shoots and eat holes in the foliage of various flowers and vegetables. Older earwigs prefer eating blossoms, stamens and petals and will often eat apricot and peach fruits. They can become a nuisance in homes at night, crawling over everything, hiding under cushions or in clothing. They have also taken a liking to such foods as flour, bread and cookies. Of the 22 species known in the United States, 5 are known to invade homes. Often very warm and humid weather is associated with increased populations of this annoying insect. They are almost next to impossible to eradicate or control.
Flies along with mosquitoes, gnats and midges are members of the Diptera order which means two-winged. Of all the species of flies, non are as 'swat worthy' as the common housefly, but despite being annoying pests both inside and out, houseflies are actually useful scavengers, they have a place in the chain of life, by feeding on decaying plant and animal material and by laying their eggs (maggots) which also feed and hasten decomposition of such material. Some species of flies can be dangerous to both man and animal because they are carriers of human and animal disease, while others can be destructive to plants. Some of the kinds of flies that can be injurious to plants that the gardener needs to be concerned about are Leaf Miner flies, Gall flies, Bulb flies, Rust flies and Fruit flies. It is the maggots of many of these flies that cause the real damage. Although we seldom think of flies as being beneficial, there are several species that are highly beneficial and useful in the garden, such as Syrphidae and Tachinid flies, for they are predators, feeding on or being parasitic to other destructive insects. (see beneficial insects for the garden)
Fruitworms are caterpillars or grubs of moths or beetles that bore into and feed on various fruits.
Galls are not insects, but swollen masses of abnormal growth that form on a plant, whether it be on the roots, trunks, stems, buds, flowers or foliage. They can be caused by fungi, bacteria or from the feeding by various insects and/or by a toxin injected by the insect during their feeding. When a gall is cut open and there is no indication of an insect, one can suspect it may have been caused by a disease. For instance, plants may respond to a fungi or bacterial infection by growing an excess of new cells, which in turn form gall-like structures. Crown gall, for example, will form a swollen knot of plant tissue on the stems and roots of plants. Galls that are caused by insects are sometimes, but not always, named after the type of insect that affects them. For example, some of the more common ones are the Eastern Spruce Gall Cephid, Chrysanthemum Gall Midge, and the Maple Bladder Gall Mite.
We are all familiar with grasshoppers, but I do not think that we are all familiar with the damage they can do to plants, especially in great numbers. Various species can be found all over the world feeding on a large variety of both wild and cultivated crops and range vegetation. Adults will eat just about any kind of vegetation and in many areas of North America, large economic losses can occur to fields of grass or cereal crops. Although they can cause injury to plants in the home garden, little damage usually occurs. In the United States higher populations of grasshoppers generally can be found in areas where the average rainfall is between 10 and 30 inches per year. |
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Fruitworm -
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