Identifying & Controlling the 5 Worst Plant Pests in North Mississippi

The trees and shrubs on your North Mississippi property are valuable parts of your landscape. When they look good, your home looks good. You naturally want to protect them.

However, many potential issues could be harming your trees and shrubs. If some of your plants look unhealthy, you might be wondering what’s causing it. One likely cause could be plant pests.

There are a variety of tree and shrub pests in North Mississippi that can damage your landscape. Our warm climate makes an ideal habitat for different insects.

Let’s discuss some of the worst plant pests in this area and explore tree and shrub pest control solutions that can help.

5 Worst Landscape Plant Pests in Tupelo, Oxford & New Albany, MS

You want a home landscape that looks great, but tree and shrub pests can really put a damper on your dreams.

Not only do you lose their beauty when insects strike, but you also lose their benefits, including shade, cooling, noise and privacy buffering, erosion control, and an oxygen boost.

Here are the five plant pests you need to watch out for on your trees and shrubs in Tupelo, Oxford & New Albany, MS.

1. Aphids

Aphids, often called “plant lice," are tiny, soft-bodied pests that pierce leaves, stems, and roots with their mouths to extract sap. This feeding usually occurs on new growth, as well.

Although aphids are small, they can inflict significant visual damage, such as yellowing leaves. You might also see your plant's leaves or stems covered in a sticky substance that could appear black, which is honeydew they release, often leading to black sooty mold.

2. Scale

Scales, like aphids, are also sap-feeding plant pests.

But they have a difference. They have a hard shell that covers their bodies, giving them some protection and concealment.

You may notice scale on the branches, stems, foliage, or fruit of trees and shrubs.

Crape myrtle bark scale, in particular, can be a problem here, leading to black trunks. The sooty mold the pests create can cover surrounding plant material and structures, causing an overall messy appearance.

3. Spider Mites

These teeny tiny mites have 8 legs and resemble spiders, but you’d need magnification to see them.

Spider mites are extremely damaging pests for plants like boxwoods, arborvitae, and other evergreens. They use piercing mouths to extract chlorophyll from the leaves, causing white specks or a mottled look.

As they continue to feed, the needles will turn yellow and then brown.

Furthermore, fine-needle evergreens do not generate new growth after a branch, limb, or part of the plant turns brown.

4. Lace Bugs

These small shrub pests are approximately ⅛ of an inch long and feed on the undersides of leaves, extracting plant fluids.

They primarily target azaleas, causing visible damage in the form of silver, white, or yellow spots that give the leaves a bleached appearance.

Azaleas hold their leaves for 2 to 3 growing seasons, so once they show damage, that unsightly growth can be there for up to 3 years.

5. Bagworms

Landscape plant pests, such as bagworms, get their name from their behavior.

This pest creates a bag made of silk and plant pieces, forming a nest where female moths can lay up to 1,000 eggs each. The eggs hatch in spring, and the hungry larvae then feed on your trees and shrubs.

Tree and Shrub Pest Control Strategies

Sometimes, these tree and shrub pests can cause just discolored leaves.

But the worst-case scenario is defoliation and death, which means you lose a valuable asset on your property.

Additionally, because most of these insects are quite small, it can be difficult to recognize them as the cause of your plant's decline.

Sometimes, homeowners mistake them for disease problems and respond by watering excessively, which can cause root rot or leaf diseases. By adding stress through improper care, they further harm the plant.

What can help? Proper plant health care and professional pest control in Tupelo, Oxford & New Albany, MS.

In addition to properly identifying and addressing pests, plant health care combines preventive and treatment measures, such as fertilization, to provide trees and shrubs with the necessary nutrients and maintenance to reduce stress and combat pests.

Additionally, having plant health care technicians on your property allows you to get answers to your questions and learn how to make your trees and shrubs thrive.

Protect Your Trees & Shrubs With Professional Care in Tupelo, Oxford & New Albany, MS 

North Mississippi is home to many pests that affect trees and shrubs, each of which often requires different treatments. Hiring a professional is your best option.

A skilled plant health care technician can accurately identify the pests and quickly resolve the issue, helping you save your valuable trees and shrubs. They can also improve your plants' defenses against future pest problems by ensuring they are healthy overall.

Choosing a trusted company like Lawn & Pest Solutions allows you to stop worrying about pest damage and instead enjoy your landscape.

Ready to learn why Lawn & Pest Solutions should be your choice for plant health care services in North Mississippi? We’re excited to learn more about you and help you have the best trees and shrubs on the block. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we can prepare a customized plan that is perfect for you and your yard.

Image Sources | Aphids, Scale, Spider Mites, Lace Bug, Bagworm