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A Guide to Insect and Mite Pests of Plants for Master Gardeners
Frank A. Hale: Professor Entomology and Plant Pathology
David L. Cook: Davidson County Extension Agent
Slide 1- Introduction: In your Master Gardener notebook there are three chapters on
insects: Applied Entomology, Insect and Mite Pests of Ornamental Plants, and Insect and Mite
Pests of Vegetables and Fruits. The Applied Entomology chapter deals with types of insect
injury, insect reproduction, growth and development, control of insects with insecticides and
even the benefits and value of insects. The chapter on Insect and Mite Pests of Ornamental
Plants discusses key plants and key pests, early pest detection, pest control decision-making,
integrated pest management (IPM), chemical control, oils, soaps, monitoring, and examples of
the most common ornamental insect and mite pests. The chapter on Insect and Mite Pests of
Vegetables and Fruit discusses steps in managing pests, pesticide safety, and examples of the
most common insect and mite pests of vegetables and fruit. This program will present some of
the most common insect and mite pests of ornamental plants in Tennessee. Pesticide
recommendations will be limited and directed to only a few groups of insect or mite pests. For
current listings of insecticides and control measures refer to University of Tennessee Extension
fact sheets and publications found on UT’s web
site:
http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/default.htm
Slide 2 – Interesting Insect Facts: Fossils indicate insects have been around for 350 million
years. There have been over 1 million insects identified with many more yet to be
discovered. Insects thrive in more environments than any other group of animals. They eat the
choicest foods on man’s table and can eat the table too.
Slide 3 – Fossil Insects: Insects inhabited our planet many years before man appeared, as
displayed in these 350 million year old fossils.
Slide 4 – Species: Insects are so abundant that actually 1 in 5 living animals species is a
beetle. Insects are organized into large groups called “Orders―, and within each insect
order are thousands of species.
Slide 5 – Environments: Insects live and reproduce in all different types of
environments. While some species live on the soil surface, others have adapted a subterranean
existence. Some insects are excellent fliers and spend most of their time in the air, others have
adapted an aquatic life style.
Slide 6 – Growth and Development - Gradual Metamorphosis: The series of form changes as
an insect develops from egg to adult is called metamorphosis. Some insects develop through
three gradual steps: (1) egg, (advance slide) (2) nymph, (advance slide) and (3) adult. The
immature insects are called nymphs, which resemble the adults. Examples of gradual
metamorphosis include aphids, grasshoppers, squash bugs, leafhoppers, and plant bugs.
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