IPM
Yard spray and hunters
Integrated pest management is the Florida-Friendly pest principle. Name the animal. Decide if the plant can take it. Use water, pruning, and hunters. A product is last, on the labeled pest, off bloom when possible. This page does not print pesticide brand lists.
Name it
Aphids, whiteflies, scales, and caterpillars are different jobs. So are lady beetle larvae. Photograph, then compare to Gardening Solutions or a county Extension office. Do not spray a mystery.
Threshold
A few aphids on flush with larvae present is a working system. A collapsing seedling is not. Threshold is a plant decision, not a zero-insect aesthetic.
If a product is used
Spot treat. Evening. Off bloom. Read the label for bees and beneficials. Soap and oil still kill hunters that are wet with the spray. There is no magic bottle that selects only pests.
Questions
What product should the yard buy?
This journal does not name brands. Ask UF/IFAS or the label in your hand after you have named the pest.
Sources
- Florida-Friendly Landscaping. Nine principles for Florida yards.
- UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions. Home-garden hub.
- ENY-822 / IN120 Invertebrates as biological control agents. Larvae look like tiny alligators. Native Cycloneda sanguinea and Hippodamia convergens.
- Ladybugs in Florida. UF/IFAS Extension. Predators of aphids; purchased beetles often fly away.