Pest & plant problems
Identify the issue, start with the least disruptive fix, and protect beneficial insects. Not every spot on a leaf needs a product.
Many “pest” problems are watering or fertility issues in disguise. Blossom-end rot is the classic example. For insects, hand-picking and a strong water spray beat a yard-wide insecticide that also kills predators. Product tips below name types and label criteria — not ranked brands or fake test claims.
Common garden pests
41 pests with Wikimedia Commons photos for identification. Tap a card for controls and what to look for on a product label.
- AphidsSoft clusters on tips and leaf undersides that suck sap and leave sticky honeydew.Tomato · Pepper · Greens · …
- Tomato hornwormLarge green caterpillars that can strip tomato leaves overnight.Tomato · Pepper · Eggplant
- Imported cabbagewormVelvety green caterpillars that chew holes in brassica leaves and heads.Cabbage · Broccoli · Kale · …
- Cabbage looperLight green looping caterpillars that chew large holes in brassica leaves.Cabbage · Broccoli · Kale · …
- Diamondback mothTiny green larvae that chew windows and holes in cabbage-family leaves.Cabbage · Broccoli · Kale · …
- Cabbage aphidGray, waxy aphids that coat brassica leaves and flower buds in dense colonies.Kale · Broccoli · Cabbage · …
- Harlequin bugBright black-and-orange shield bugs that suck sap from brassicas.Kale · Collards · Mustard · …
- Squash bugShield-shaped bugs that suck sap from squash and pumpkin vines.Zucchini · Winter squash · Pumpkin · …
- Leaf-footed bugElongated true bugs that pierce fruit; bright orange-red nymphs are common on cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers.Cucumber · Tomato · Pepper · …
- Squash vine borerMoth larva that tunnels inside squash stems and wilts the plant suddenly.Zucchini · Summer squash · Pumpkin
- Cucumber beetleYellow beetles that chew seedlings and can spread bacterial wilt.Cucumber · Melon · Squash · …
- Flea beetleTiny jumping beetles that shotgun-hole eggplant, greens, and brassica seedlings.Eggplant · Radish · Arugula · …
- CutwormSoil-surface caterpillars that clip seedlings off at night.Tomato · Pepper · Bean · …
- WhiteflyTiny white flying insects that cloud up when you shake foliage.Tomato · Pepper · Squash · …
- Spider mitesTiny mites that stipple leaves and spin fine webbing in hot, dry weather.Tomato · Bean · Cucumber · …
- Slugs & snailsNight feeders that rasp holes in seedlings and leave slime trails.Lettuce · Hostas (nearby) · Seedlings · …
- Japanese beetleMetallic green beetles that skeletonize leaves in midsummer.Bean · Basil · Grape · …
- Spotted lanternflyInvasive planthopper — early nymphs are black with white spots; later nymphs turn bright red with white and black markings.Grape · Hop · Fruit trees · …
- Stink bugShield-shaped bugs that pierce fruit and leave cloudy spots or catfacing.Tomato · Pepper · Bean · …
- LeafminersLarvae that tunnel pale trails inside leaves of greens and beets.Spinach · Chard · Beet · …
- Colorado potato beetleYellow-and-black striped beetles and red larvae that defoliate potatoes and eggplant.Potato · Eggplant · Tomato (less often)
- Mexican bean beetleCopper-colored lady-beetle relative that skeletonizes bean leaves.Bush beans · Pole beans · Lima beans
- Bean leaf beetleSmall yellow-to-red beetles that chew round holes in bean leaves and pods.Bush beans · Pole beans · Soybean (nearby)
- Corn earworm / tomato fruitwormCaterpillars that bore into corn ears and tomato fruit.Sweet corn · Tomato · Pepper
- European corn borerCaterpillars that bore into corn stalks and ears; adults are tan moths.Sweet corn · Pepper · Bean
- Fall armywormStriped caterpillars that chew leaves and bore into corn whorls and ears.Sweet corn · Tomato · Greens · …
- ThripsTiny rasping insects that leave silvery streaks and black flecks on leaves and flowers.Onion · Tomato · Pepper · …
- Tarnished plant bugSmall mottled bugs that pierce buds and fruit, causing tip burn and catfacing.Strawberry · Bean · Pepper · …
- Four-lined plant bugYellow-green bugs with four black stripes that leave round sunken spots on leaves.Mint · Basil · Cucumber · …
- Potato leafhopperTiny wedge-shaped green hoppers that cause hopperburn on beans and potatoes.Potato · Bean · Eggplant · …
- EarwigNocturnal insects with rear pincers that chew seedlings, flowers, and soft fruit.Lettuce · Seedlings · Corn silks · …
- GrasshoppersJumping insects that chew leaves and fruit, especially in hot, dry summers.Beans · Corn · Greens · …
- Asparagus beetleRed, black, and cream beetles that chew asparagus spears and ferns.Asparagus
- Blister beetleSoft-winged beetles that chew foliage; body fluids can blister skin.Tomato · Potato · Bean · …
- MealybugWhite, cottony sap feeders common on container plants and greenhouse crops.Container herbs · Citrus · Pepper · …
- Pillbugs & sowbugsArmored crustaceans that usually eat decaying matter but can nibble seedlings in damp beds.Seedlings · Strawberry · Cucumber (fruit on soil)
- Cabbage maggotWhite maggots that tunnel in brassica roots and stem bases.Cabbage · Broccoli · Radish · …
- Onion maggotMaggots that tunnel in onion, leek, and related bulbs.Onion · Leek · Garlic · …
- Carrot rust flyMaggots that leave rusty tunnels in carrot, parsnip, and related roots.Carrot · Parsnip · Celery · …
- WirewormsHard, wire-like beetle larvae in soil that bore into roots, tubers, and seeds.Potato · Carrot · Corn · …
- Root-knot nematodesMicroscopic worms that form galls on roots and stunt plants in warm soils.Tomato · Pepper · Cucumber · …
