Gnats eating myrtle/periwinkle/vinca minor

QuestionLast spring and summer (2009) in Ridgefield, CT, from about May to July, insects badly chewed many of my newly planted myrtle/periwinkle/vinca minor groundcover plants. I saw many gnat-like insects fly

Leaf Miners on Tomato Plants

QuestionQUESTION: So my sister decided she wanted to grow some tomato plants. She had been doing really well with them up until the miners showed up. She thought it was a fungus, so she had been trimming the infecte

Brown Recluse?

QuestionHello, Jack. This is my third attempt to ask you this question, because it appears the site has been glitching out. I apologize if youve received several messages from me. I tried to send you a

whiteflies

QuestionI always seem to have a lot of whiteflies in my vegetable garden. How can I prevent them. At this time, there is nothing in my garden. Can I put something in the soil now or should I wait u

drain fly problem

QuestionQUESTION: We have had a 4 mth old problem with drain flies, which began in Sept. We have cleaned all drain traps and are applying a drain gel each night. We even had the city flush our sewer drain at the cur

drain flies or gnats

QuestionThis is not a question but a comment. I will try your suggestions on both covering the drains and segregating the plants to a room. I will see how it goes and get back to you. Again, thank you for the sugges

droppings?

QuestionI keep finding small piles(40-50pcs) of small round(maybe bb size) shiny brown balls in various locations in my basement. I know its not from mice? AnswerI would need a lot more information to help you. I w

Fruit Fly

QuestionQUESTION: Hi there, We just moved into a basement apartment, and we have had many problems so far, mice, spiders etc.. My question for you is that I have found these fruit fly like bugs. I have been re

Pests Attacking my Hibiscus

QuestionPests on Hibiscus QUESTION: I live in Bellefontaine, OH USA. I have a pest attacking my hibiscus and cant figure out what it is. Ive looked all over the internet at pictures, and even had

follow up to drain fly problem

QuestionSince I last spoke to you, we had the plumber ream out part of our pipe due to an overflow.In addition to reaming out a certain toilet, he discovered a slow leak around the base and resealed it. That could h

Strange bites

Question child with bite marks We stayed in a hotel recently and when we woke up we had strange insect bite marks on us (mine and my husbands were on our torso). My daughter particularly on her face. It was very col

fruit fly infestation in peaches

QuestionHi Jack, I am the expert on tropical plants here, but I need your help in a subject that no one seems to be able help me on, I have a Peach tree here in South Florida, and every year I have had a on going pr

Bug in elder moms room

QuestionShe said it is making kittenlike noises only at night.Saw it last night on night stand. Black bug about an inch long. She has heard scratching and similar sounds in recent past. She is 90, but lucid and woul

little black flying bugs

Questionbugs are comming out of all my potted plants, indoors of course, I live in Dayton OH., and am raising,a bannana tree, passion flower vines,you name it i probably gotit, i like lots of plants, but not lots of

carpenter bee issue

QuestionI was wondering if you can answer a question for me. We moved into our current cedar-sided house several years ago in November. The following spring, we saw many carpenter bees around the house,

Douglas Squirrels are driving me nuts!

QuestionHi, I am looking for help with the most determined of all creatures who want to live in my roof. I live in rural Washington state on 5 acres of wooded property. I have been battling these c

blister beetles

QuestionHello, Last year we had a blister beetle infestation in our tomato garden. I am wondering if it is likely that they will return this summer? I read that they spend a year as a grub, what do the grubs look li

white grub under apple tree bark

QuestionUnder 2 oval sections of bark on the limbs of the Macoun apple tree, I found a half-inch white grub in one spot and white powder or other stuff in others. I also noticed spots on the tree where it look

grubs in trees

QuestionI live in Thailand and have just sawn a large branch from one of my trees as it was dying. There was a 1/2 diameter hole up the middle of the branch and inside was a 3 long white grub with a brown head. Coul

cockroaches

QuestionDear Jim how is it that cockroaches can live through alomost anything a human cant? AnswerWhat is it about a cockroach that makes it seem to live through anything, existing even after the dinosaurs became e