Potato beetles, hornworms, squash bugs; yes it's smorgasbord season for the insects. And they are out there chewing, sucking, and tunneling their way through the garden. Uncontrolled, destructive insects and slugs can wreck havoc in a garden, laying months of handwork and planning to waste—sometimes in a matter of days. Are the creepy crawlies getting you down? Ready to pull out the big old spray gun in defense of your territory? Whistling the theme to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly as you buckle up your hip-slung garden belt?
Well hold on there just a sec, partner. Before you head out to the garden with your itchy, trigger finger on those Bt- and neem-loaded weapons, remember to run your suspects through the criminal-insect database. Good bug or bad bug, wouldn't it be great if they were all color-coded? But it's kind of tough to know who's who, and what's what out there in the wild vegetation, now isn't it? Some beneficials are black and hairy and others have menacing spikes; it's easy to mistake them for enemies. And a few of the garden's 'most wanted' are masters of disguise, wearing colors and patterns to blend in with the foliage or mimic the peaceful insect 'civilians'.
Earlier this year, I mentioned a few helpful bug-identification and organic control resources in my post "Help! Something is Bugging My Plants (And Me Too)!", which you may want to review for some timely tips. But recently, on a spontaneous trip to Barnes & Noble, I just happened to stumble upon the ultimate quick-draw tool for your dusty, leather pouch. If you need a good guide riding sidesaddle with you through the garden, Jessica Walliser has your back with Good Bug, Bad Bug. This small and sturdy ringbound hand-manual is cleanly designed with a tough, board exterior and heavy card stock pages for fast and easy flipping. Clear photographs of common garden pests and beneficial insects—in all stages from egg to adult—are clearly organized in sections, making the bugs easy to find and identify. In the upper right-hand corner of each page, you will find the suspect. In the first section, Walliser lists each insect pest's description, how to spot the damage, plants they attack, biological controls, preventative actions, organic controls, and more. In the second section, arranged in the same handy format, the author describes beneficial bugs, their life cycle (with photos), pests they control, how to attract and keep them and other useful information.
So, spread the buzz! Hey, leafminer: you and your ne'er-do-well buddies—yeah, that means you, tomato hornworm and cucumber beetle—you better pack it up and head on down the road. There's a new sheriff in town, and this time—with Jessica Walliser by my side—I'm taking no prisoners!
Who's the number one insect on your most-wanted list this year?
Michaela grew up gardening, studying plants, and picking organic produce on the family farm. When she isn't spreading compost or pruning shrubs, she can usually be found writing articles or giving seminars on all things gardening. Michaela has worked as a gardening professional for 15 years and is author of the popular blog, The Gardener’s Eden.
Cry. And then after the crying, I try to piece together the evidence. I like the Rodale book mentioned in the previous post (linked above) for general sleuthing. And, I just got a copy of What's Wrong With My Plant? from B&N. So far I am impressed with the diagnostics, though it certainly isn't a quick, flip-it manual (more of a desk reference). When I am in the field, and I need to confirm my suspicions about a disease --particularly on food crops-- I like to pull up Cornell University's Vegetable MD Online if I can get internet access. They have a great database for piecing together mysteries based on remains! Vegetable MD also has good IPM links. Tissues help in all cases with the crying part 
@ NJMetal - Mmm. I am sorry to hear about the damage the squash vine borer has done in your garden. As you are observing, prevention is the key in this battle! One of the things I tell my gardening clients is to be vigilant about crop rotation; making sure to plant cucurbits in an entirely different area each year (some entomologists recommend longer time intervals up to three years). In moderate climates, gardeners sometimes have luck starting the crop a bit later, to miss the vine borer's egg-laying season. Other gardeners have success with tin-foil collars around the young stems, removed in mid-summer. The eggs are very, very hard to spot... small and brown on the stems. May you be victorious in next year's battle! M.
@ TB - I'm not sure of what you have going on with your peppers. You haven't seen any horn worms have you? They will eat peppers as well as tomatoes and eggplants --- but seem to prefer the tomatoes. Good luck. Definitely check with an IPM site. M.
