Bug Series: How to Deal With Fungus Gnats
Talk about tiny! Fungas Gnats! These itty-bitty little black flies, love wet habitats. We don’t notice them often outside in the open environment, but they are common household pests for our house plants. Why they’re good: Fungus gnats actually serve an important purpose in the greater ecosystem. They don’t harm our plants but rather, live […]
Bug Series: Leafrollers, Tent Caterpillars & Other Caterpillars
Caterpillars – are they cute? Are they gross? They jury’s out. Depending on who you ask, caterpillars are a delightful analogy for change, or they are tiny, hungry, fuzzy monsters. If you’re a gardener and not a 1st grader, you might have a distaste for these crawling insects, but the truth is that, generally, caterpillars […]
Bug Series: How to Deal with (Common) Leafminers
Common in most North American climates, there are a great variety of leafminers species that feed on everything from prairie-hardy trees & shrubs, to the edible leaves of your fruits and vegetables. Though the damage left behind by these pests is easy to identify, the bugs are not. Maturing as small, non-descript black flies, leaf […]
Bug Series: How to Deal With Slugs
Let’s be honest, it’s not awesome when you reach down to gently pluck a new leaf from your lettuce plant and you end up with a handful of gooey slug-mush instead. Slugs typically aren’t a gardening-favourite, but these icky molluscs are easy to deal with, and usually not the end of the world. Why They’re […]
Bug Series: How to Deal with Aphids
What most people don’t realize is that these pesky little insects come in many different sizes and colours. Most commonly in Alberta, you’ll see green, yellow, black, or brown aphids. Described as “juicy-looking” bugs, these soft-shelled insects are literally just that – slow, plump, and sweet to eat (for their predators, that is). Why They’re […]
Bug Series: How to Deal With Birch Leaf Miner
Ah yes, the enemy of the Birch Tree! These crafty little larvae are originally native to Europe, but migrated to certain parts of Canada sometime in the mid-1900’s. Most entomologists agree that it’s not reasonable to expect the eradication of Birch Leaf Miner here in Canada, but many of our own native species have adapted […]
