During this time of the growing season, it is common to observe aphids on garden plants, including peppers. However, when dense aphid populations are present, they can reduce pepper yields and cause rapid plant health decline.
Squash bugs are a headache for gardeners almost every year in South Dakota. As their name implies, squash bugs feed on squash along with many other cucurbits. Injury caused by extensive feeding appears as wilting and may result in the death of infested plants.
This year, we’ve noticed large populations of aphids on swamp milkweed plants and we’ve identified them as the oleander aphid (Aphis nerii), which is sometimes referred to as the milkweed aphid.
Grasshopper populations are elevated in Central South Dakota. Some of the concerns regarding these large grasshopper populations is that they are feeding on trees, gardens and almost everything in between.
Japanese beetles are very bad news for anyone with a garden. They are polyphagous insect pests, which simply means they feed on many different host plants.
There have been multiple reports of mysterious defoliation occurring on lilac bushes.The defoliation is often described as notches showing up around the edges of the leaves, resembling the edge of a saw blade.
Typically, we don’t see a lot of issues with blister beetle feeding in gardens. However, when they show up, blister beetles can rapidly defoliate plants.
Every summer, we receive reports of what looks like a large yellow lady beetle, except that they are defoliating certain plants. It isn’t a lady beetle, it’s the Argus tortoise beetle.
Bronzed cutworms can be an issue for lawns and gardens in South Dakota. In grass, bronzed cutworms will feed and leave small brown circular patches. Large populations of bronzed cutworm can result in severe lawn injury.
Updated list of grape varieties recommended for South Dakota.