Sound Horticulture Bug Blog

Written by Elaine Sawyer

Filed under

black vine weevil, cucumber beetle control, fungus gnat control, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, natural controls, Nematodes, pest control, pest management, shore fly control, soil, Steinernema feltiae, sticky cards, thrips control

Nematodes: The Natural Solution for Pest Control

Jun 16, 2025

Written by Elaine Sawyer

Nematodes: The Natural Solution for Pest Control

Discover the power of nematodes for natural pest control. Safe and effective solution grubs, thrips, weevils and more!

Written by Elaine Sawyer

Filed under

biopesticides, Disease control, natural controls, pest control, pest management, prevention, Purecrop 1, PureCrop1

Discover the Power of PureCrop's Revolutionary Technology

May 16, 2025

Written by Elaine Sawyer

Discover the Power of PureCrop's Revolutionary Technology

Looking for organic pest control? Look no further than PureCrop1 by West Coast Ag Products. PureCrop1 is not a traditional oil but uses nanotechnology to create a product that completely mixes with water, destroys fungal diseases and eliminates sap-sucking insects while having no direct effects on beneficial insects.

Written by Elaine Sawyer

Filed under

agriculture, beneficial insects, biocontrol, black vine weevil, pest control, pest management, pests

Black Vine Weevil

Mar 12, 2024

Written by Elaine Sawyer

Are you growing wine grapes, hops, Camellia or rhododendron and notice now, or last season, notching on leaf margins? Feeding damage of buds and flowers? It could be the insect pest, Black Vine Weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) which is spread across the United States and feeds on over 200 plant species. Other susceptible plants include yew, hemlock, begonia, cyclamen, fuchsia, impatiens, primrose, epimedium, bergenia and sedum. Continue reading

Written by Elaine Sawyer

Filed under

agriculture, Anystis, aphid control, beneficial insects, biocontrol, Biological Control Programs, greenhouse production, IPM, pest control, pest management, prevention

Discussion 4 comments

Anystis, No Ordinary Mite

Jul 11, 2023

Written by Elaine Sawyer

One Mite to rule them all, One Mite to find them, One Mite to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them. Just like the One Ring of Lord of the Rings fame, Anystis baccarum, has the potential to become a powerful tool for growers everywhere. Continue reading

Written by Alison Kutz

Filed under

Amblyseius cucumeris, Amblyseius swirskii, beneficial insects, biocontrol, Green lacewings, IPM, Lacewing larvae, lacewings, pest control, predatory mites, thrips control

Discussion 2 comments

Thrips Control and Intraguild Predation

Oct 28, 2022

Written by Alison Kutz

Intraguild Predation (IGP) occurs when one biological control agent feeds on another biological control agent. Predators that feed on the same prey are known as a guild. This occurrence can lead to a negative effect on the impact of the biocontrols. Find out more about which biocontrol agents are compatible with each other.