Love spending time in your garden or backyard? Checking up on the vegetables, fruits, and flowers you planted is undoubtedly refreshing. Gardens are great for spending a lazy weekend with family. However, pests will not hesitate to intrude on your quality time in the garden.
Your time in the yard can be interrupted by notorious pests. But of course, you might notice some pests more than others. Here, we will be talking about some of the most common garden pests you need to look out for.
Not only will these pests overrun the garden and become a nuisance, but they might also try to sneak into your home. As such, you must take some preventive measures against them.
5 Common Garden Pest in Singapore
Mosquitoes
The most commonly spotted pests in home gardens – and just about anywhere in Singapore – are mosquitoes. They always swarm around trees, grass, and plants in search of shelter. After all, mosquitoes like to be in shady conditions. So heavy vegetation in home gardens ought to be a favourite hiding spot for mosquitoes. As a bonus, they can find suitable breeding spots when water collects at the base of flower and mud pots.
Often, mosquitoes are confused with midges. Midges may look similar, but they are non-biting chironomids that breed in water but do not spread any diseases such as dengue or zika fever.
Rats
Another concerning pest in your garden could be rats. In addition to making you squirm in discomfort, these rodents can cause serious damage to gardens. This is because they are constantly seeking food supplies and damp environments, and gardens offer both.
Rats will feast on your vegetation and disrupt the growth of other plants as well. They mostly dwell outdoors but can also find their way into your home, where more food sources are available. They will crawl through sewer openings and wall gaps and raid the food supply inside your home. Furthermore, rats can infest your homes along with your garden, resulting in costly damages.
Ants and Aphids
Ants may be tiny, but they cannot be neglected because of their size. Ants can invade your garden by forming unmanageable colonies. When there is an ant infestation, you might notice ants crawling on your body whenever you go to the garden. Trails of ants are another significant sign of an infestation.
As if ants were not enough, they also invite aphids into your garden. Ants and aphids have an interdependent relationship where ants tell them what to do and offer them protection. In return, aphids will kill the plants in your garden and suck the plant sugar out for the ants to feast on.
Termites
Termites are troublesome pests that can infest your garden and yard. Even though they are rarely interested in the vegetables and flowers you are growing, they take shelter in big tree trunks. The aim is to invade your home and eat the wood inside your house.
Identifying termites is not easy, but you should be careful not to ignore any signs of their presence. If you notice tiny white ants around a wooden fence in your garden or around a tree, consider it a hint to investigate further. Also, look for mud tubes or flying ants. Do not ignore any signs, as delayed identification of a termite problem can be a costly mistake.
Wasps and Bees
If you have a garden with loads of variety, bees will visit! Usually, there is nothing to worry about if you notice a bee or two. That’s because bees are critical for pollination, and so having some bees can do some good for your garden. However, having too many bees around can lead to a problem.
You should also be concerned if your garden attracts wasps. If the bees or wasps in your garden seem to get out of control, you might want to call a wasp or bee removal specialist. Do not neglect signs of a severe infestation. Wasp and bee stings are exceptionally painful. Plus, many people are allergic to them, and some might have a fatal reaction.
How Can You Control Pests in Your Garden?
Now that you have gotten a list of the five most common garden pests in Singapore let’s look at how you can control garden pest infestations. But first, you can embrace some natural ways to deter pests.
Start by planting insect-deterrent plants. Citronella or marigold plants are an excellent example, as they will keep mosquitoes away. To keep rodents from nibbling on your vegetation, you can set up cage traps and glue traps.
When it comes to keeping your yard “pest-unfriendly,” it is essential to keep it dry. Most pests are attracted to dampness. To reduce moisture, avoid overwatering your plants. Dry leaves and twigs also offer hiding sites for insects. Dust off plant leaves and twigs to reduce potential nesting opportunities.
A DIY way to keep insects away is to spray a homemade dish soap and water concoction on the plants. This will help get rid of insects that nest on the garden plants. Alternatively, you can make an insect spray with neem oil and water to keep insects like ants away. Sugar and borax will also do the job.
If you have tried everything you could think of and still cannot fend off uncontrollable populations of pests in your garden, it is perhaps time to call pest control. Professional exterminators know how to remove pests effectively and permanently from your home and garden.
Conclusion
The high humidity and warm climate in Singapore attract so many insects. Unfortunately, these pests can destroy your plants. What’s even worse, having these insects in and around your house can be a disturbing experience. Who wants ants crawling all over their legs every time they go to their garden? No one!
Mosquitoes, bees, ants, rats, and termites can cause much trouble. So, it is best to take care of the situation as soon as possible. Surely, you can try some DIY pest control approaches first. However, if general garden maintenance and your own pest control methods do not help, you can always call professional exterminators.
