Pest group
Nuisance insects
Insects that turn up in numbers and alarm people more than they damage anything; several are predators as well.
Which one do I have?
- EarwigsForficula auriculariaNuisanceEarwigs are both pest and predator. At night they chew petals, seedlings, soft fruit and corn silks, and they also eat aphids and insect eggs. On most plants they do little harm. On dahlias, seedlings and soft fruit, trap them instead of spraying.Bedding plants · Cut flowers · Strawberry · Stone fruit · Corn · …
- Boxelder bugsBoisea trivittataNuisanceA native black-and-red bug that feeds on boxelder and maple seeds without harming the trees. It is a nuisance only because the adults gather on warm walls in autumn and slip indoors for the winter. Outdoors, no control is needed. The answer is to seal the house before the end of August and vacuum any that get in.Shade & fruit trees
Still not sure? Answer four questions about the damage and the picker will separate them.
macro · earwigs, side by side
At a glance
- Species
- 2 profiled
- Controls
- 0 beneficials
- Settings
- Garden, Indoors
- Crops
- 8 host crops