House & Garden Growers Journal 2017 May 2017 | Page 45

Fungus Gnat (Sciaridae fly)
Small black, mosquito like flies.
Larvae are primarily fungus feeders
but will feed on roots, root hairs, callus,
organic matter present in the growing
media. Large larvae may feed on the
insides of roots.
Thrip
0.5mm – 15 mm long and range in
colour from white to yellow to black.
Thrip attack the flowers, fruit and foliage
of a variety of plants. Thrip lay eggs
inside plant tissue and unopened buds,
the pupae feed on plant juices.
Greenhouse Whitefly
Look like a small, white moth.
Whitefly hide underneath leaves and
suck sap from them resulting in the
stunting of new shoots. May cause white
speckles, known as stipples on the tops
of leaves.
Aphids
Small soft bodied, pear-shaped
insects - variety of colours.
Aphids use their piercing sucking
mouthparts to feed on plant sap. They
usually occur in colonies on the undersides
of tender terminal growth. leaves may
pucker or to become severely distorted.
Two-Spotted Spider Mite
Tiny pinkish-red mites.
Mites mostly appear on the underside of
the leaves where they pierce plant cells and
suck out their contents, thus leaves turning
completely yellow. Nymphs and adults both
produce webs.
Green Caterpillar
Green soft bodied larvae
Droppings accumulate on the plant
and between buds. They eat floral
clusters from the inside out. Caterpillars
also act as a vector for disease. Most
leaf eating varieties spend time
manipulating and eating leaves.
40