The trees, shrubs, and plants in your Chicago landscape are a valuable asset. You appreciate them for their aesthetic appeal, shade, privacy screening, and many other benefits.
That’s why pest damage on plants can be so frustrating. Plant pests might be lurking in your landscape without you even realizing it.
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- What Are The Worst Plant Pests in Chicago?
- Which Bugs Are Eating My Plants?
- How to Implement a Plant Pest Control Program
- Plant Health Care for Commercial Properties in Greater Chicago
In this article, we’ll dive into some of the worst plant insects in Chicago and what you can do about them. While some of these pests have the power to do a lot of damage, there are plant pest control solutions that can be deployed.
What Are The Worst Plant Pests in Chicago?
While there are a lot of different plant pests, the ones that we see most often include five frustrating foes. These are Spider Mites, Aphids, Leaf Beetles, Lace Bugs, and Bagworms. Let’s talk about each of them.
Spider Mites
While plants can have both beneficial and damaging mites, Spider Mites fall into the “damaging” category.
They are typically hard to spot because they are so small (less than 1/20-inch long), plus they are found on the underside of leaves. Spider Mites do damage by sucking the cell content from leaves.
Leaf Beetles
Leaf Beetles are known to feed on a variety of plant material, including leaves, stems, and even roots. They often have brightly colored oval bodies.
Aphids
Aphids are pear-shaped pests that prefer to feed in groups. They are also sap-sucking creatures that do damage by drinking plant juices.
Lace Bugs
Lace Bugs are another pest that uses their piercing-sucking mouthparts to drink sap from your plants. They get their name from their appearance, which features clear wings with a dark, lace-like pattern.
Bagworms
Bagworms are characterized by the “bag” that they make out of silk and their plant host’s foliage. They are typically found in evergreens and do damage both while feeding and using plant parts to create their resting bags.
Which Bugs Are Eating My Plants?
As we’ve mentioned, there are a lot of common landscape pests here in Chicago. So, how do you know what you’re dealing with?
Since many of these pests are small (with the exception of bagworms, which can be about one to two inches in size, particularly when in their “bag”), you might notice their damage before you notice the pests themselves.
It’s always important to be on the lookout for signs of trouble.
Evidence of pest damage on plants can show up as yellowing leaves, holes in the foliage, or spots on the leaves. Sap-sucking plant pests can also leave behind a sticky substance called honeydew, which they excrete.
This material can lead to the growth of sooty black mold on the plant, or it can attract other pests, such as flies and bees. Sometimes people notice this before they notice the pests that created the honeydew.
Of course, plants are subject to other problems, including weather-related issues and even diseases. And it’s not uncommon for these other problems to mimic signs of a plant pest. Sometimes it does require a professional diagnosis to get to the bottom of what’s going on.
How to Implement a Plant Pest Control Program
Once a pest problem is identified, you’ll want to implement a plant pest control solution that can address it.
Often, pest problems are noticed during site visits by an account manager. We recognize that property managers and owners don’t have time to closely examine their trees, shrubs, and plants for problems. However, this is where partnering with a professional can be beneficial.
There are various curative solutions that can address plant pests. As we move forward, we aim to develop a program that focuses on preventing pest problems in the future. If you have a problem with a specific pest one year, it’s going to keep coming back.
It’s important not to ignore issues when they do arise. You don’t want your plants to continue to grow weaker and become more prone to problems.
Without proper commercial plant health care, trees and shrubs become more susceptible to nutrient deficiencies, root rot, further pest infestations, and disease outbreaks.
Plant Health Care for Commercial Properties in Greater Chicago
If you’ve dealt with one of these common landscape pests, you want to make sure you’re implementing the right solutions so that you don’t risk further damage to your landscape. That’s why you’ll want to work with a commercial landscape provider that can also offer plant health care.
The long-term benefits of a commercial plant health care program are substantial. Over time, a well-maintained facility landscape with healthy plants will require less intensive care, as strong, healthy plants are more resistant to pests and diseases. This can lead to reduced maintenance costs and a lower need for treatments.
At KD Landscape, we’re ready to help. When you partner with us, you can fight back against the worst plant pests and regain control of your landscape.
Want to learn more about KD Landscape’s commercial landscape maintenance in Chicagoland? Get started today with an on-site consultation. We’ll review your options together so you can make a great choice.
Image Source | Aphids
