Are there any plants, like citronella grass or the “citrosa plant” I have seen advertised, that we can plant to keep mosquitoes from biting us?
Although citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus) contains citronella oil (which does help to repel mosquitoes), the chemical is not released in significant quantities from the growing, undamaged plant. Because of this, planting citronella grass will not reduce the number of mosquito bites suffered ...
- I have recently noticed many, very small dark-colored flies,they look like a tiny black moth. What are they and how can I get rid of them?
What you are seeing are probably filter flies, also known as moth flies or drain flies. They breed in decomposing organic material, garbage, rain barrels, around or under kitchen and bathroom sinks, and in water traps in plumbing fixtures. You should thoroughly clean your sink and bathtub drains ...
- My camellia leaves have yellow markings on the upper leaf surface and under the leaf is all white. Is this an insect or disease?
This is an insect called tea scale and it is a common pest on camellias. Oil sprays are one of the least toxic controls for it and many other kinds of scales that attack ornamentals. Additional information on control of scales can be found here: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg005
- When should I spray for chinch bugs
Applications of insecticides for control of chinch bugs should be made when chinch bugs have been detected. Routine "preventative" applications should be avoided since this can contribute to the development of pesticide resistance by the chinch bugs, an already recognized problem. Unnecessary p ...
- Do Carpenter Ants do as much damage as termites?
Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood. Carpenter ants can excavate tunnels in wood to create spaces to nest in but they do not actually eat the wood. The kinds of carpenter ants that we commonly encounter in Florida confine their excavation of wood almost entirely to wood that has alre ...
- What is this light green, black and yellow striped caterpillar on my milkweed plants?
These caterpillars are the larvae of the Monarch butterfly. Female Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on plants that are in the milkweed family. When the eggs hatch, small caterpillars come out. As they feed on the milkweed plant the caterpillars grow larger, often as long as 2 inches. When the ...
- My Snowbush is being eaten by yellow and black caterpillars.
The culprit is called the Snowbush caterpillar or Snowbush spanworm. It is the larval or caterpillar form of a black and white moth that flies during the day. In most cases the new growth is eaten, and the plant will re-sprout shortly. In south Florida, however; infestations have been so heavy t ...
- What are these small green and black banded grubs in the roots of my cardboard palm?
Dr. Buss with the University of Florida Insect Identification Laboratory in Gainesville believes this is the yellow-banded millipede. Like other types of millipedes, the yellow-banded millipede feeds on decaying plant material and other organic matter and would not be responsible for damage to ...
- I have honey bees living in a wall can they be moved?
The state's office of Apiary Inspection currently recommends that all wild bee colonies found around structures be controlled by a properly trained and licensed person rather than simply relocating the colony. Although bees are important pollinators of some crops and although there are problems ...
- What is this spider?
This is a female huntsman spider. The white, pillow-like object under the body is her egg sac. Each egg sac can contain over 200 eggs so you are likely to see more of them. Huntsman spiders are not poisonous, but can bite if handled. They can be considered beneficial since they feed on cockroac ...
- What caterpillar is 8 inches long with 8 orange legs and 6 black legs?
The caterpillar is the frangipani hornworm. The adult stage is a brown colored moth. The caterpillars feed primarily on the leaves of frangipani but can feed on a few other plants in the same plant family, the Dogbane family. Usually the plants survive the attacks of the caterpillars. Since f ...
- Why are the flowers on my rose bush turning brown on the edges?
This may bean infestation of thrips – very small, yellow, brown or black, slender insects ranging from 1/16 to 1/8 inch in length.Adults and larval thrips feed using a punch and suck technique. The damaged flowers become streaked and discolored. Infested leaves dry out, buds fail to open o ...
- There are ants all over my rose bushes! Are they damaging the plants and how do I get rid of them?
The real problem in this case is probably aphids, tiny insects which are feeding on your rose plants and excreting a sweet substance called “honeydew.” Ants only show interest in roses when there is enough honeydew present to attract them. Spraying with a horticultural oil or an inse ...
- There are a lot of tiny black ants running all over my kitchen counter. I have tried spraying them, but they keep coming back. What can I do?
Ants in the kitchen or bathroom are attracted by either bits of food or water, so be sure to clean the countertops thoroughly after each meal and wipe the sink dry. Spraying will generally not be effective over the long term since you are not removing the nest and others ants will simply return. ...
- Can I make my own insecticidal soap?
When liquid dish soaps were more basic without fragrances, lotions and anti-bacterial agents, they were safer to recommend as a spray control for insects on plants. These added products may cause sensitive plants to die back, become deformed or burn badly. New concentrated formulations of dish s ...
- What is this orange caterpillar with black hairs feeding on my passion vine?
This caterpillar turns into the Gulf Fritillary butterfly. The caterpillar does not eat much ,so it will not eat your vine all the way down. After the caterpillar has finished feeding, and is about 1 to 1 ½ inches long, it will form a chrysalis/pupa. The chrysalis looks like a brown shriv ...
- How can I control those small grayish moths that fly up when I walk in my St. Augustine lawn?
Those 1” moths are called Sod Webworm moths and they do not cause damage to your lawn. They fly low to the ground when disturbed and hide in sheltered areas, such as St. Augustine leaf blades, and shrubs during the day. There is no control for the adult moth. The caterpillar of this moth ...
- How can I tell whether the insects I found inside my house are ants or termites?
The differences are easily detected by three points of identification: the waist, the wings and the antennae. Many people don’t realize that ants can have wings when they are ready to reproduce and swarm to start a new colony of their own. A magnifying glass, hand lens or a microscope wil ...
- The leaves of my oleander shrub are being eaten by small orange and black caterpillars. How can I control these?
The oleander caterpillar, Syntomeida epilais Walker, a bright orange caterpillar with tufts of long black hairs, is a common sight on oleanders in Florida. Early infestation is easy to recognize. To control simply use a pair of scissors or pruners to snip off the damaged foliage along with the f ...
- What are the small, reddish-orange and black bugs on my milkweed plants?
This insect is a milkweed bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus). The young stage (nymphs) are smaller and all reddish-orange, while the older stage (adults) have black markings as well. Milkweed bugs feed on the seeds and suck the juices from the new growth. Milkweed bugs have few predators, as they concen ...
