Pests Archives - gardenmyths.com

Do Bats Control Mosquito Populations?

I am sure you have heard the stories; that a small bat can eat 1,000 mosquitoes a night. This idea is so well known that many people have put up bat houses to attract this animal even though most people hate bats. I guess they hate mosquitoes even worse.

It all makes so much sense. Bats fly at night eating insects. Mosquitoes come out at night to hunt us. Why would bats not eat this plentiful food? And then there is the science; scientists studied bats and determined they could eat 1,000 mosquitoes a night.

In this post, I will look at this myth and explain how the myth originated. It is quite rare for me to be able to know how a myth starts, but in this case, it’s fairly clear.

A Myth is Born - Do Bats Eat Mosquitoes — A Myth is Born – Do Bats Eat Mosquitoes, little brown bat, photo by SMBishop

Key Takeaways

The idea that mosquitoes eat 1,000 a night is mostly a myth.
Only some very small bats eat mosquitoes.
Bat houses do not control local mosquito populations.

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Do Geraniums Control Japanese Beetles?

A popular claim is that geraniums will paralyze Japanese beetles and keep them away from your other plants. The pest eats the leaves and flowers and a chemical in the plant intoxicates them and they fall to the ground. They then die or birds pick them off, thereby controlling them in your garden.

Does this work? Can geraniums be used to protect other plants in your garden?

pick flower with three beetles sitting on it. — Japanese beetles eating geranium flower, source: Depositphotos

Key Takeaways

Japanese beetles are paralyzed when they eat too many flowers but not when they eat leaves.
Other plants are more attractive to these beetles than geraniums.
It is unlikely that geraniums will control Japanese beetles in the garden.
Japanese beetle traps do not work.

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How to Identify and Get Rid of Fungus Gnats

Fungus gnats – the little buggers that find your houseplants. They love to visit seedlings and can even infest your larger houseplants. They fly all over the house and drive gardeners crazy. The first step in getting rid of them is to understand their life cycle. Knowing how they live will help you avoid common mistakes that make them worse.

Black fly sitting on a leaf — black fungus gnat sitting on a leaf, source: gailhampshire

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Brix, Molasses and Pests – New Science or Fantasy?

I watched an interesting video describing the fact that pests don’t feed on healthy plants. How do you measure plant health? Simple. Just take a Brix reading.

Around the same time I became aware of the fact that spraying molasses on plants not only increases Brix values but also creates healthier plants with fewer pests. This has become a very popular technique among dahlia growers and seems to have some support from gardeners.

Let’s dig into the connection between Brix, molasses and pests.

caterpillar chewing on a leaf and a bottle of molasses. — Do insects only eat healthy plants?, source: Depositphotos

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Attracting Ladybugs to Your Garden

Ladybugs, also called lady beetles, ladybirds and ladybird beetles, are one of the gardeners best friends because they eat aphids and other pests. What attracts these beneficial insects to your garden? Is it the plants or the aphids? Are there plants you can grow which will bring more into your garden?

Key Takeaways

Plant selection is more important than having aphids.
Ladybugs eat much more than just pests.
Volatile chemicals are the key to attracting and keeping ladybugs.

Ladybug eating aphids, source: Depositphotos

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Control Slugs and Snails with Bread Dough

Now that sounds crazy! You are trying to get rid of slugs and snails and now some people are suggesting you feed them with bread dough? This sounds like another DIY garden myth, but it’s not. In this case, it is a simple solution that has been scientifically tested and proven to work.

ball of uncooked bread dough with four snails crawling on it. — Snails are attracted to bread dough, source: Depositphotos

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How to Get Rid of Ants Naturally, In the Garden

Some gardeners must hate ants because they are constantly talking about natural ways to get rid of them in the garden. If you thought home remedies are popular for things like slugs or weeds, it doesn’t compare to the number of solutions available for getting rid of ants naturally.

A lot of research has been done on fire ants, and for good reason. They bite and sting and their sting is painful.

What does the science tell us about controlling ants outside? Let’s have a closer look at natural home remedies for getting rid of ants.

How to Get Rid of Ants Naturally, In the Garden, photo by Brian Mai

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Leek Moth on Garlic: Identification, Prevention, and Control

Garlic crops are now at risk from the destructive leek moth, a pest known for causing significant damage and reducing yields. If you’re noticing holes in your garlic leaves or frass (insect excrement), you might be dealing with this moth. It’s crucial to identify and prevent these pests early on to ensure a healthy and bountiful garlic harvest.

The leek moth also attacks onions and leeks and the information in this post also applies to these crops.

top of a garlic plant showing chew marks on the scape — Leek moth damage on garlic scape and upper leaves, source: U. of Vermont

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Dealing with Voles and Moles

Voles or moles – which one is damaging your lawn and garden? They can be tricky to get rid of but before you do anything, figure out which you have and understand these interesting animals better.

Once you understand the problem you can look for the right solution. I’ll discuss some options in this post.

Mole and vole lawn damage, by Tuff Turf Mole Busters — Mole and vole damage to lawns, by Tuff Turf Mole Busters

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Best Fragrant Plants to Repel Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are a pain for every gardener, and over the years a number of plants have been recommended to repel mosquitoes. Almost all of these plants are fragrant and include such things as catnip, citronella grass, beebalm, marigolds, lemon balm, lavender, geraniums, thyme, wormwood, rosemary and various mints. If you plant these in your garden you will have less mosquitoes – or so the proponents claim.

Will plants growing in your garden or on your deck keep mosquitoes away?

Mosquitoes Repelled By Fragrant Plants, Source: Sanofi Pasteur

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How to Keep Cats Out of Your Garden

Do you hate strange cats using your yard as a personal litter box? You’re not alone. Keeping cats out of your garden is a big problem that comes up all the time on social media.

In this post I’ll examine the many proposals for controlling cats to see which ones actually work. Spoiler alert – most suggests are just myths and don’t work or are not practical, but some are worth trying.

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Do Wasps Sleep at Night?

Wasps can be dangerous during the day, but what about at night? Do they sleep? Do they come out of the nest after dark? Are you less likely to get stung at this time of day? A better understanding of wasp activity at night will help you deal with nests.

ceramic figure, human head and body of a wasp — Let Sleeping Wasps Lie by Amber Aguirre, 2013 NICHE Awards Winner in ceramics

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