Butterflies are a welcome addition to any garden and like many native buddies, need our help to make sure they remain regular guests. Butterflies. Whether you live in Salt Lake County, UT or Utah County, UT, your location may be exposed to bugs or rodents that could incite frustration or cause damage. Diamondback moths and imported cabbageworms both feed exclusively on plants in the Brassicaceae family, which includes broccoli, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, turnips, cabbage, and brussels sprouts, among other plants. But household pests will still invade your home searching for shelter, water, and exposed food. Slugs and snails are one of the most difficult-to-control garden pests. However, there are a few common Utah turfgrass insects that can cause serious damage to your lawn. So, the next time you see a bug when you’re gardening, don’t assume that it’s causing harm. It's a common myth that the brown recluse lives in the area, when in fact it does not. Learn to identify the four most common types in your area: Your garden is a painstaking labor of love. They’re often found on cultivated plants–both indoor plants and outdoor gardens. It probably won't surprise anyone that ants and aphids are among the most common insects in Utah, but other bugs might not be quite as familiar even though they are also large in number. As larvae, these good bugs feed on aphids, scale insects and caterpillars. Squash bugs … Males are small flying insects, while larvae are tiny, soft, crawling insects. Spider mites thrive in dry conditions, and so they’re a common problem for Utah gardens. Entries are listed below in alphabetical order. The listing below is a general indicator of insects, bugs and spiders that may be found in a given state. Butterflies & Moths. Biological insecticides like B+ or Spinosad do well at ridding your garden of caterpillars, although you can also use natural methods like hand-plucking or using row coverings. They are present year-round. The twelve most common garden pests are as follows, and we have the answers to controlling them: 1. Much like damsel bugs, you could have minute pirate bugs and not even know it. Mant gardeners counter snails and slugs by luring them into beer-traps, checking in hiding places each day and removing them by hand, or creating a bug-barrier around the border of their garden using diatomaceous earth, which cuts up snails’ and slugs’ soft underbellies. Long summers and sun-filled days make a wonderful setting for many different species. And of course, if you’re trying to grow leafy greens for you own salad, you don’t want them to be eaten by pests! In this case, we’re counting insects and arachnids as “bugs,” because Utah has too many spiders to leave them out. Fortunately, aphids are usually a simple problem to control. Visit Our Salt Lake City Plant Shop for Supplies — And Free Advice! SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KUTV) - A South American bloodsucking inset, known as the "kissing bug," has been found in almost every American state. Contrary to popular belief, it is not illegal to harm a praying mantis. Cutworms are the larvae of a variety of different species of miller moths and they are … Beetles. Both the larvae and adults love to munch on aphids, mites, mealybugs and many of the other pests that gardeners despise. Based on many common gardening concerns, the Garden's horticulture team has compiled a page of helpful tips, advice, and plant profiles for Utah gardeners. Videos (YouTube) Utah Insects (578 Found) Listing of bugs and other insects that can be found in Utah. The following information covers the most common insect pests found in Southern vegetable gardens. Millcreek Gardens Utah © Copyright 2019. The world of insects is enormous. They feed on and destroy plants by sucking out their liquids. Broad-spectrum insecticides aren’t recommended to control Japanese beetles, as it can destabilize the natural ecosystem’s balance. Recommended Control:Use row covers to protect young plants and remove at first flowering. Spider mites are tiny creatures, even smaller than aphids, which survive by sucking sap and fluids from plants. Slugs 2. BugFiles continues to grow through the collaborative efforts of 2,985 gardeners from around the world. You’re most likely to notice adult female scale insects, which look like bumps on plant stems, leaves or fruit. This vegetable IPM series will be geared toward Utah's commercial and small urban farmers. Of course, the eight insects we’ve listed here aren’t the only good bugs for your Utah garden and greenhouse. Welcome to BugFiles, a database designed to help gardeners identify the insects, spiders, and butterflies in their gardens. Normal pesticides don’t work on snails. Since then, the population has thrived in Utah, although efforts to control the population have been largely successful. Good gardeners know that many insects can be beneficial, as they feast on the pests that can damage your plants, flowers and trees. Talk to us about our organic and natural pest control methods in order to keep a natural balance in your property. 1/4 - 3/4 inch. They munch on leaves, leaving behind gaping holes and crippling plants’ ability to fuel themselves. Identify common garden pests and garden bugs with our insect pictures. Insecticidal soap is especially effective, coating the insects so that they can’t get oxygen. Some turfgrass insects infest the soil and attack lawn roots, some feed on the grass blades, while others suck the juice from the grass blades. Cutworms. Don’t forget that chickens and ducks are two of the most effective ways to eradicate bugs. They can be troublesome because they multiply quickly. Aphids 4. The three pests are well known to pierce the stems and leaves and suck the sap, causing crop distortion and stunted growth. These 14 Bugs Found in Utah Will Send Shivers Down Your Spine. Summer Gardening Plant Watering Tips, Part 2. Homeowners in Utah grow grass that will survive the dry summers, such as Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, tall fescue, and ryegrass. Butterflies are cold-blooded and need plenty of warm sunshine. Fine … When it comes to your Utah garden and greenhouse, not all bugs are pests. 9. These insects are truly tiny, measuring just 1/16” long, but they can easily do away with a high number of the aphids, mites, thrips and insect eggs in your greenhouse and garden. Plant Evergreen Landscaping Trees to Celebrate Arbor Day, 3500 South 900 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84106. Lady beetles are common beneficial insects that feed on insect eggs, larvae, and aphids. Examples of pests with complete metamorphosis are Mexican bean beetles, cabbage loopers, hornworms, flies, June beetles, cutworms and armyworms. They love leafy, lush plants... Grasshoppers. Utah’s agricultural history makes hobby gardening during the summer pretty common. Furthermore, we recognize the need for a healthily-balanced ecosystem in your yard, and so broad-spectrum pesticides may be harmful. Here you will find photographs and descriptions of some of the most commonly encountered bugs, insects, and similar arthropods. There are a total of (66) Utah Bees, Ants, Wasps and Similar Insects found in the Insect Identification database. If mosquitos, flies, fleas, mites or aphids are a problem for your Utah garden or greenhouse, you’ll wish you had some rove beetles – those pests are what they prefer to eat. In addition, honeydew is deposited on leaves and fruit. Note:Please note that insects do not adhere to man-drawn borders on a map and as such they may be found beyond their listed 'reach' showcased on our website. Common Insect Pests of the Home Vegetable Garden. Therefore, it is essential to get rid of them before they reach the reproductive phase of their lives. Squash bugs are common in Utah, and they prey almost exclusively on pumpkin and other squash plants. Red Spider Mites. Most insects pose no threat to plants or grass. Aphids leave residue on plants that can make them feel sticky, and attract mold and other insects. There’s not a single spot in Utah where you won’t find some sort of bug. Lift a stepping stone in your garden or move a greenhouse pot, and you might see ground beetles scurrying away. You can also use natural predators to limit your snail and slug population, like microscopic nematodes, which destroy snails and slugs in their ground-dwelling egg and infant phases. Praying Mantises. However, in the springtime, grasshopper populations are still young, and nymphs are much easier to control with preventive methods that will limit adult populations later. Baits used in tandem with insecticides are often the best option, as they specifically target grasshoppers and other foraging pests. Keeping your plants healthy, planting a variety of species, and attracting local predators is often the best control method. Ants are common throughout Utah. Green Lacewings. Aphids are tiny white bugs (about 1/4 inch in size) with pear-shaped bodies and long antennae. We found 14 particularly ugly specimens to share here. For expert advice on your Utah landscaping and gardening endeavors, stop by Millcreek Gardens. Most of the spiders in Utah, with the notable exception of the black widow, aren't actually dangerous. However, even the toughest of lawns are susceptible to pest infestations. These good bugs also prey on mealybugs, whiteflies, leafhoppers and pest moth caterpillars. 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