Home Vegetable Insecticides
While cultural methods are preferred to control insect damage in vegetable gardens, insecticides may be necessary at times. This factsheet lists products that control specific specific insect pests.
Insects
Indian Meal Moth
Phil Pellitteri, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab Revised: 4/27/2004 Item number: XHT1047 Are little moths fluttering around the kitchen? Are white worms crawling out of the bird seed? A very common indoor pest at any time of the year is the Indian meal moth. Adult Indian meal moths are small insects with a wingspread of about […]
Fungus Gnats and Shore Flies in Greenhouses
Fungus gnat feeding on plant roots can cause root rots in greenhouse settings. Shore flies are often confused with fungus gnats in the greenhouse. Learn about these pests here.
Deer Flies and Horse Flies
Phil Pellitteri, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab Revised: 4/27/2004 Item number: XHT1049 There are over 30 species of blood feeding deer flies (Chrysops) and horse flies (Tabanus, Hybomitra) found in Wisconsin. They belong to a family of flies called the Tabanids. Deer flies and horse flies can be active from May until September. The adult females […]
Drugstore Beetles
Phil Pellitteri, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab Revised: 5/20/2011 Item number: XHT1103 The drugstore beetle and the closely related cigarette beetle are small reddish-brown beetles that infest grains, pet food, straw flowers, tea, old rodent bait, red pepper, flour, spices, leather, animal hair, tobacco and other dried plant material. Historically, these insects were often pests of […]
Millipedes
Millipedes can become pests in late summer and fall, as well as during wet periods, when they are found in large numbers in and around the home. These harmless, hard-shelled, segmented worms feed on decaying organic matter in the soil and can be easily identified because they have two pairs of legs on each body […]
Pavement Ants
Rachel Arango, UW-Madison Entomology and Phil Pellitteri, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab Revised: 1/27/2008 Item number: XHT1160 Background: Native to Europe, pavement ants were introduced into eastern North America in the 1700’s, and have become a common indoor problem in Wisconsin in recent years. Pavement ants feed on foods rich in proteins (e.g., meats, nuts, cheese), […]
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are slow-moving, small, oval insects covered in white cottony wax. This factsheet describes the identification, biology and management of this insect pest.
Masked Hunter Bug
Phil Pellitteri, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab Revised: 1/20/2009 Item number: XHT1184 The masked hunter bug (Reduvius personatus) is a type of assassin bug that is commonly found indoors. The common name of this insect comes from the fact that the immature stage of the insect (the nymph) covers itself with dust and debris. These true […]
Powder Post Beetles
Phil Pellitteri, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab Revised: 4/27/2004 Item number: XHT1053 Powder post beetles attack porous hardwoods such as oak, walnut, mahogany, hickory and maple. Unheated buildings, very damp basements, barns, seasoned firewood, and lumber stored outdoors are most often attacked. Indoors, beetles can be found infesting hardwood flooring and trim, barn boards, rough-sawn timbers, […]
Pseudoscorpions
Phil Pellitteri, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab Revised: 4/27/2004 Item number: XHT1112 Have you ever found a strange, scorpion-like creature in your home? Pseudoscorpions are common, but rarely seen. They are harmless, small (1/16 to 1/8 inch long), tick-shaped critters that have a large pair of pincers, but lack the long tail and stinger of a […]
Sawtoothed Grain Beetle
Phil Pellitteri, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab Revised: 4/27/2004 Item number: XHT1111 The sawtoothed grain beetle and the closely related Merchant grain beetle are common pests in the kitchen where they infest grains, cereals, pasta, pet food, straw flowers, tea, old rodent bait, candy bars, flour, spices, and other dried plant material such as potpourri. Sawtoothed […]
