Insect control can be challenging to gardeners because insect pests have the potential to damage ornamentals, fruits and vegetables. The identification of the insect is the first step in determining whether it should be controlled and the recommended control measures.
Less than 3% of insects are considered pests. Therefore, encountering non-pest insects is highly probable. Misidentifying or treating a non-pest organism as a pest may cause a loss of time and money and increase unnecessary exposure to pesticides.
Insects leave symptoms and signs of their presence that can help with their identification. A symptom is a visible indication, such as exit holes. In contrast, pest signs are parts of the pest itself or the whole pest.
Having specimens of the pest is essential for proper identification. The difficulty of acquiring the organisms vary. For instance, adult Japanese beetles are easy to spot and catch on small plants, but their larvae live underground.
After specimens are captured, gardeners may know the organism from previous experience. In the case of doubt or unfamiliarity, you can send the specimen to your local WVU Extension office for proper identification.
Understanding the biology of the pest allows gardeners to make better pest management decisions. For instance, roseslug sawflies damage roses during their larva stage in late April and May. From mid-June to February, they live underground, where they don’t cause any damage. Gardeners should monitor for roseslug sawflies in May. If damage is observed in early June or later, any attempt to control this pest is a waste of time.
By Carlos Quesada, WVU Extension Specialist – Entomology