Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, is a common pest in the garden, lawn, and landscape (Photo credit: Kevin D. Arvin, Bugwood.org).

Insect Pest Identification

Identifying the insect responsible for plant damage in the garden, lawn, and landscape often begins by investigating the host plant and looking for clues. The following resources provide information, many through pictures, that aid in identifying the insect pest.

Garden

Wilting on squash caused by squash bug, Anasa tristis.

Use these resources to find insect pest information for fruits and vegetables in your growing region:

• Fruit Insect Pests by Region

• Insect Problems of Vegetables by Region

Lawns

Adult June beetle, Polyphylla hammondi (Photo credit: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org).

Use these resources to find insect pest information for lawns in your growing region:

• Insect Problems of Lawns by Region

Landscape

Damage from cooley spruce gall adelgid, Adelges cooleyi (Photo credit: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org).

Use these resources to find insect pest information for trees, shrubs, and flowers in your growing region:

• Tree and Shrub Insect Pests by Region
• Insect Pests of Flowers by Region

Local Diagnostic Laboratories

If you cannot identify your insect problem from the resources above, you may be able to submit information to your state diagnostic plant laboratory using:

• University Plant Diagnostic Clinic Web Addresses (Maintained by the American Phytopathological Society)

Insecticide Use and Products

Some Extension publications recommend specific strategies for using insecticides for treating insect pests. Insecticides and their use vary by state. The pesticide label is a legal document that provides instructions for proper pesticide usage. Another important document, the material safety data sheet (MSDS), informs the user about the chemical's physical properties and safe work practices. Labels are found on the pesticide container. Label and MSDS information can also be found by using the following Web sites. Some of these sites may require you to register free of charge before using.

• Home Use Pesticide Database (Colorado State University Extension)

• Pesticide Information (Center for Urban Ecology and Sustainability, University of Minnesota)

• CDMS Agro-chemical Database (Crop Data Management Systems Inc.)

• Greenbook.net(Greenbook, Vance Publishing Corporation) - use the search feature to find labels and material data safety sheets for insecticides

Find State Regulatory Data for your state:

• KRSNetwork (Kelly Registration Systems Inc.)

-User hint: Under the "Our services" tab, scroll down to find the Information Resources, then State Regulatory Data section and select a state from the drop-down menu.