Get a jump start on managing plant pests this winter

  • This lilac is infested with scale insects that form a grayish to dark brown protective covering called a test that resembles an oyster or mussel shell. It is an insect pest of more than 130 species of plants.
    This lilac is infested with scale insects that form a grayish to dark brown protective covering called a test that resembles an oyster or mussel shell. It is an insect pest of more than 130 species of plants.

    Just like us, insects spend their winters in different locations. Unlike us, they spend their winters in different stages of development. Some may overwinter as adults, others in their immature stage as grubs, caterpillars, or nymphs, while others will be in the pupal stage like a chrysalis or cocoon. Understanding their lifecycle and location can help us support beneficial insects while managing …