Well, we’re in the thick of Summertime. You step outside now and it’s like stepping into an oven. But while we’re inside sheltering in the A.C., plenty of bugs are outside frolicking and enjoying it to its fullest. That’s why today we’re going to cover some of the Florida outdoor pests, and what to do about them.
Florida Outdoor Pests: Overview
Most of what we cover today is going to involve lawn and garden damage, so being able to identify these pests at a glance, or the damage they cause, is important. Many of these species are quick reproducers, so the sooner they get dealt with, the better
Red Spider mites
The red spider mite is a Florida outdoor pest that affects a wide variety of garden plants. Once you get an infestation, you will find red spider mites all over the plant, and it’s important to deal with them quickly. This pest reproduces at a very quick rate and has few natural predators that will keep them under control. Otherwise, the plant is likely not going to survive.
There are two prominent species of spider mite. It’s likely either the European red spider mite or the Southern red spider mite. The most common red spider mite is the Southern variety. A plant that is infested by this Florida outdoor pest will start to look unhealthy and have a sort of dust collect on the underside of its leaves. When you look closely at that dust, though, you’ll see that it is actually the very mites themselves. This is often accompanied by some webbing on the underside and branches of the plant.
You cannot easily make out the details of red spider mites with the naked eye but a simple magnifying glass can make the details more visible. A red spider mite will be all red. There are other kinds of spider mites, such as the two-spotted spider mite, that are partially red. Red spider mites will be all red. Knocking some off onto a piece of white paper will make it easier to distinguish the colors.
Aphids
Aphids are a voracious and all-too-common garden pest. They love snacking on fruits, flowers, vegetables, and basically, any kind of plant that you can grow that isn’t grass. They’re small insects and resemble pears at a glance. Aphids congregate on the shady undersides of leaves and come in many colors.
Aphids are under a quarter of an inch long, they are tiny outdoor Florida pests. In fact, they’re nearly invisible to the naked eye, especially if it’s just one or two of them. They come in many colors, including black, brown, gray, yellow, light green, and pink. They have pear-shaped bodies with long antennae; the nymphs look similar to adults. Most species have two short tubes (called cornicles) projecting from their hind end.
Adults are usually wingless, but most species can develop a winged form when populations become crowded so that when food quality suffers, the insects can travel to other plants, reproduce, and start a new colony. Aphids usually feed in large groups, although you might occasionally see them singly or in small numbers.
While aphids in general feed on a wide variety of plants, different species of aphids can be specific to certain plants. For example, some species include bean aphids, cabbage aphids, potato aphids, green peach aphids, melon aphids, and woolly apple aphids.
Prevention is key to keeping an aphid infestation out of your garden. Beginning early in the season, check your plants frequently for the presence of aphids, paying close attention to plants you’ve found aphids on before. Aphids are most active when temperatures are warm or hot and often cause the most damage to plants in late spring. Their most favorite plants to infest are non-woody, blooming plants like zinnias, dahlias, cosmos, and asters.
Aphid Damage
One of the biggest things to look out for in these outdoor Florida pests is damage to plants. As mentioned above, they’re nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. So, instead, look for the damage they do. Outside of yellowing, curling, and dying leaves, one of the biggest tells that Aphids are on a plant is the formation of Honeydew.
If the leaves or stems are covered with a sticky substance, that is a sign that aphids may have been sipping sap. This “honeydew,” a sugary liquid produced by the insects as waste, can attract other insects, such as ants, which gather the substance for food. When aphids feed on trees, their honeydew can drop onto cars, outdoor furniture, driveways, and so on.
Any true infestation is going to need either the involvement of a pro or complete removal of all infested plants. But if you only have a few, try the cold water method first. Get to spraying cold water on the leaves; sometimes all aphids need is a cool blast to dislodge them. Typically they are unable to find their way back to the same plant.
What to do when you have an infestation?
Well, we just covered two of the most notorious outdoor Florida pests above. We also touched on some identification and prevention tips. So what does that leave us when all else fails, and there’s no small or quick fix left? If spraying your plants with water isn’t working, and you have no source of natural predators for these two, the best thing to do is to contact a pest control specialist.
And when you do, try to contact someone that uses natural methods. The chemical insecticide has been around for a long time but has been known to be harmful to human health for almost as long. Not only that, but quick reproducing pests like the two in this article can become immune in a few short generations if the poison is applied improperly. This is why when you do contact a pro, make sure it’s one that uses natural methods. Otherwise, you’re taking the health of your garden and your family into your own hands.
