There are quite a variety of pests that can disrupt your gardening plans. Some are merely a nuisance but others can destroy your plants and flowers. We've compiled a list of the top 4 so you know what to look out for and what to do about them if you see any.

1) Aphids

These tiny pests are commonly found on most plants in gardens. They typically cause little or no damage to the overall health of plants, but large infestations are something to look out for. Signs of severe aphid infestations include:

• Visible clusters of them on the underside of leaves. They will be tiny light colored bugs that move slowly when disturbed,
• Curled, yellow, or misshapen leaves. As aphids feed and nest on leaves it causes the foliage to appear unhealthy and wilted. 

2) Japanese beetles

Perhaps one of the most destructive pests that can kill your garden plants and flowers is the Japanese beetle. These small insects will eat all foliage and swarm plants in groups, making them a severe risk to gardens and crops, even causing monumental damage to crops each year. A couple of signs of these pests include:

• These pests are easy to spot and if you've got them nearby, you'll see them. Large groups or a swarm of shiny winged insects with green on their bodies is an obvious sign. 
• They eat through foliage, leaving telltale signs appearing as holes often destroying all the leaves or flowers. If you see this type of damage on your garden plants, you can be fairly certain that it's been damaged due to Japanese beetle infestations. 

3) Slugs

Slugs can feed on almost anything and will do a lot of damage quickly. They can remain unseen and then suddenly make their presence known as they are nocturnal, meaning they come out at night when it's cooler. You will know they are around if you see these signs:

• These slimy pests leave trails as they travel through your garden. You may notice a clear dry slime trail on plants if slugs were around the night before. 
• Slugs leave holes in leaves and vegetables and can destroy entire plants in a short time. They will spend the night slowly making their way around your garden, feasting on everything in their path.

4) Ants

These tiny insects might not always be visible in gardens but they do tend to nest in damp soil and are probably there even if you don't see them. Here are a couple of signs of ants living in your garden:

• As ants nest in the ground they will loosen the soil and lay eggs. If you see mounds of dirt and any ant activity, they are likely nesting in that area.
• Ant colonies will send out workers to find food, so even if a colony has settled in your garden soil, you may only see a few stragglers crawling around. If you see just a few there's likely an ant colony nearby. 

Some pests are much more destructive to gardens than others. It's always best to tackle a pest problem sooner rather than later. Most can multiply quickly and will decimate an entire garden before you realize it's happening. Spence’s Pest Control has the experience you'll need to safely and effectively tackle those garden pests. Give us a call at (804) 794-7738 or schedule a free inspection online.