Karen Delahaut, formerly UW-Madison Fresh Market Vegetable Program Revised: 1/12/2005 Item number: XHT1137 The common asparagus beetle (Criocercis asparagi) and spotted asparagus beetle (Crioceris duodecimpunctata) are annual pests of asparagus in Wisconsin. The common asparagus beetle is the more prevalent of the two species and the only one that causes economic damage to asparagus in […]
Authors: David Lowenstein and Russell Groves, UW-Madison Entomology Last Revised: 05/22/2019 X-number: XHT1030 The cabbage maggot (Delia radicum) is an early season pest of cruciferous/cole crops (e.g., cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnip, and radish), as well as cruciferous weeds (e.g., wild mustard, water cress, wild radish). Cabbage maggot damages plants by feeding […]
Karen Delahaut, formerly UW-Madison Fresh Market Vegetable Program Revised: 5/28/2004 Item number: XHT1032 The imported cabbageworm (Pieris rapae) is a lepidopteran insect and the most important cole crop pest in Wisconsin. All cole crops, including cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and rutabaga, are susceptible to attack by this insect. Appearance: Imported cabbageworm adults are the […]
Field ants are common in Wisconsin, and noted for producing large mounds that ruin home lawns and interfere with landscape plantings. This factsheet discusses identification and control.
Karen Delahaut, UW-Madison Fresh Market Vegetable Program Revised: 5/28/2004 Item number: XHT1031 The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) is a lepidopteran insect and an important pest of cole crops in Wisconsin. All cole crops, including cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and rutabaga, are susceptible to attack by this insect. Appearance: The diamondback moth is a small, […]
Author: Russell Groves, UW-Madison Entomology Last Revised: 05/01/2020 X-number: XHT1107 Tomato hornworms (Manduca quinquemaculata) and tobacco hornworms (M. sexta) are large, blue-green caterpillars (larvae) with a spine (horn) on the posterior (rear) end. These insects do not typically cause significant damage in commercial vegetable fields. However, large numbers of larvae can occasionally occur in home gardens, leading to […]
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a fast-spreading, tall Eurasian plant that grows primarily in wetlands and ditches, but can invade home gardens. This factsheet covers identification and control of this attractive, yet invasive, plant.
Cold frames and hot beds, hoop houses, cloches, and floating row covers allow gardeners to grow plants earlier in spring and later in fall. Get ideas that will work for you in this factsheet.
Dodders are parasitic plants that can affect a variety of plants, including vegetables, herbaceous and woody plants, and even weeds. Learn what dodders look like and what to do if you find them in this factsheet.
Phil Pellitteri, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab Revised: 4/27/2004 Item number: XHT1102 What people commonly call fruit flies are flies from the genus Drosophila. Also known as pumice or vinegar flies, they range in size from 1∕16 to 1∕8 inch long, and are light to dark brown in color. Some of the common species of fruit […]
Multicolored Asian lady beetles are a nusiance when clustered in large numbers on buildings in fall. While beneficial as a predator of pests in the landscape, they can also damage fruits. Learn more here.
Mike Maddox, State Master Gardener Program Manager & Darren Lochner, Formerly of the UW-Extension Lower Chippewa River Basin Revised: 2/5/2008 Item number: XHT1157 What is a rain barrel? A rain barrel can be any large container designed to collect rain water. Typically, rain barrels are placed at the bottom of downspouts in order to collect […]
