Your Pinellas County lawn is something you take great pride in. Your yard is a work in progress. You’ve probably spent hours mowing the shrubs and bushes around it. If you’re not careful, spider mites and aphids, which are two pests that are common in Pinellas County, can ruin all your hard work.
Continue reading to find out what these pests are and how Arborwise Tree Service., can help you rid your yard of them and restore the beauty of your property.
Common Insects that Destroy Pinellas County Shrubs
The pests that plague Pinellas County shrubs and bushes are spider mites and apids. These pests are not the same, but they look very different.
- Pinellas County Aphids are small and measure between 1/16-1/8 inches in length. Aphids are soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects with a soft body. Their colors can include green, brown, yellow, red, or gray. Two small pipes called cornicles are the best way to recognize them. They can be found at their abdomen’s end. These cornicles can be found on all types of aphids, but their size can vary depending on which type.
- Spider Mites are small, measuring only 1/50 inch. They come in a variety of colors, from dark red to deep green. Although they are closely related to insects spider mites belong to the arachnid famiy and are closer to ticks and spiders than spider mites. They live on the undersides of leaves where they spin protective silk webbing to feed on plant cells.
Signs of an Infestation on Your Pinellas County Shrubs
You can identify aphid infestations by looking at the leaves of your shrubs for curled, yellow, or twisted leaves. Aphids eat the nutrients in plants and tree leaves, which causes the greens to turn yellow and eventually die. Aphids will form clusters on your shrubs.
You can tell if your shrubs are infested by spider mites by looking for silky webbed under the leaves. Also, look out for yellow and white spots. Small bite marks will appear on the leaves of infested plants. Infestations of spider mites can quickly wipe out large areas of plants and shrubs.
How to Get Rid of Shrub Pests in Pinellas County
It can be hard to control spider mites and aphids in Pinellas County. There are some things you can do if you’re looking to make it easier for yourself.
- Take out diseased or infected shrubs. You can stop some of the infestations and prevent them from spreading to other leaves by getting rid of unhealthy plants.
- Spray leaves and bushes with water, or a mixture thereof, This control method will prevent mite and aphid populations from growing if it is done frequently with a strong stream of water, such as from a garden hose.
- Introducing insects that feed on spider mites and aphids may help. These pests are naturally controlled by lady beetles and green lacewings.
It can be difficult to deal with this type of infestation. Even if you manage to reduce their spread, they are likely to return. Arborwise Tree Service., is a reliable pest control company that can help.
What to do if pests in Pinellas County keep coming back?
Although you’ve tried to eradicate them yourself, these pests in Pinellas County are persistent and won’t stop eating your shrubs. This is the right time to call the professionals.
This post was written by a professional arborist at Arbor Wise Professional Tree Care. Robert Miller is the owner of Arbor Wise Professional Tree Care, a locally owned and operated tree service company that offers superb lawn care by the most experienced Arborists. Arborwise Tree Services is a tree removal clearwater fl company that offers stump removal, tree pruning, stump grinding, fertilization, and tree restoration. We have an extraordinary lawn care industry notoriety covering the Pinellas county area.