Identifying the Good from the Bad...

To create the perfect growing environment for your Hydroponics project. and ensuring the optimum growing conditions to produce a beautiful, tender, dirt-free, flavorful product, we suggest you utilize beneficial insects, "good bugs" to eat the "bad bugs", which keeps your produce free of harmful pesticides.

Although bringing in good bugs to eliminate a bad bug problem might not always solve the problem, you might have to resort to a pesticide.  In cases like this our staff is very educated and can direct you as to the best product to use.

The Bad Guys

When possible it is always recommended to use "Good Bugs" to fend off the "Bad Bugs" that might take home in your hydroponic garden. The important thing to remember is that these bugs are a protector of your plants and you do not want to eliminate them.

Aphids
Description: They are very small with light colored bodies. They leave a sticky residue on the leaves.
Treatment: Remove damaged leaves, wash plant leaves with warm water for a week then spray an insecticidal soap onto leaves.

Catapillers
Description: Most kinds of caterpillar are considered plant pests and will eat the leaves.
Treatment: Pick off by hand.



Cockroaches
Description: Small dark colored insects with beetle like bodies.
Treatment:  Pick off by hand if you can catch them. Remove any organic debris from the base of the plant. Set out roach traps.

Cutworms
Description: Small worm type insects that curl up into a ring shape. They eat through plant roots and topple the plant.
Treatment: Not too common in hydroponics - if found, spray with insecticide.

European Corn Borers
Description: Small, 1 inch long caterpillars who bore into plant stems and eat them from the inside out.
Treatment: Spray with insecticide.



Fungus Gnats
Description: The hatched offspring of tiny black flies. The maggot offspring attack plant roots.
Treatment:  Discard any damaged plants, spray with insecticide. Not too common in a hydroponics garden.


Leaf Hoppers
Description: Small, 1/8 inch long, wedge shaped insects that suck the sap through the plant leaves.
Treatment: Pick off by hand and apply insecticide if needed.


Mealybugs
Description: Small bugs create white, powdery masses on leaf stem joints.
Treatment: Scrape off and spray with insecticide.

Root Maggots
Description: Fly larvae that hatch at the base of the plants and eat the roots.
Treatment:  Not too common in hydroponics gardens. If found, spray with insecticide.


Scale
Description: Tiny waxy growths on the underside of leaves and on stems.
Treatment: Scrape off and isolate plant, if possible. Wash leaves with warm soapy water and apply insecticide if needed.

Striped Cucumber Beetle
Description: Small, very destructive, striped back beetles 1/4 inch long. As adults, these plant pests eat leaves and larvae eat roots.
Treatment: Use insecticidal soap.

 

Tarnished Plant Bugs

Description: Small beetles about 1/4 inch long with tarnish-like markings on it's back. They inject plants with a substance that deforms leaf tips and stem joining.
Treatment:  Clean off all nearby organic debris and spray with insecticide.

 

White Flies

Description: Tiny, white flying bugs
Treatment: Very resilient. Spray with insecticide or something stronger. Also spray all surrounding plants.

 

 

 

Colorado Potato Beetle

Description: Inch long striped beetles and their larvae will eat everything on a plant.
Treatment: Pick off by hand and optionally, spray with insecticide.

 

 

Earwigs

Description: Small dark brown centipede-like insects with a pincer tail.
Treatment:  Pick off by hand (they usually come out at night).

 

 

Imported Cabbage Worm

Description: Small velvety green caterpillars that eat plant leaves.
Treatment: Spray with insecticidal soap.

 

 

 

Mexican Bean Beetle

Description: Small, 1/2 inch beetles will eat roots and leaves leaving only the veins.
Treatment: Wash with soap. 

 

 

 

Spider Mites

Description: Red, yellow or green microscopic bugs forming cobwebs.
Treatment:  Isolate plant if you can, wash leaves with warm, soapy water and spray with insecticide.

 

 

Thrips

Description: Very small and slender bugs leaving dark blobs on the leaves.
Treatment: Remove bugs by hand, wash leaves with water and spray insecticide.

 

 

To learn more about Bad Bugs come in and talk to our knowledgeable staff and where you'll find more information. We can provide you with the proper remedy to clean up any bug infestation you might have.