Have you ever seen moths or butterflies among your bonsai? Do you see them a lot? If so, there may be caterpillars nearby. Caterpillars are among my least favorite garden pest. They can cause lots of damage quickly, especially on small, tender trees. You can find them on deciduous trees and on conifers. Some are large, others […]
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White spots on Western juniper
In the spirit of identifying white dots on bonsai these past few weeks, today’s subject is Western juniper. Western juniper For those unfamiliar with the variety, Western junipers are frequently covered with white dots, one per scale. On some occasions, the dots enlarge and merge together to form a sticky white mass. Sticky white substance on Western juniper […]
Adelgids
Have you ever seen small white spots accumulate at the base of needles or buds on black pines? On other conifers? If so, you’ve likely seen adelgids. See the small white spots just above the bud? Adelgids are a cousin of sorts to aphids. They are also known as pine aphids or wooly conifer aphids as […]
Thrips and bonsai
Thrips are among the most difficult insects to see, yet the damage they cause is easy to spot. I’ve seen big ones on occasion, but more often they’re tiny – smaller than 1mm. They scratch leaves and suck the sap, leaving green foliage silvery. Black or brown spots mark their droppings. Healthy pieris foliage next […]
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is easy to identify. It looks like white powder. Powdery mildew on gerbera An uninfected leaf Powdery mildew is a fungal disease. Wet or humid conditions are conducive to powdery mildew infections. Treat it like you would other garden maladies. Soaps and oils can be effective, and fungicides can be called on if they […]