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Garden Pests and Diseases

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 Welcome to the Garden Pest and Disease Series – your comprehensive guide to identifying, understanding and managing the most common pests and diseases found in Australian gardens. Whether you're dealing with sap-sucking insects, leaf-chewing caterpillars, fungal diseases or soil-borne disorders, this series offers practical, organic-friendly solutions to protect your plants and maximise productivity. Each article includes clear identification tips, the damage caused, vulnerable plants and proven prevention and control methods. With a strong focus on sustainable gardening, this online resource empowers home gardeners to foster healthier gardens, encourage beneficial insects and reduce reliance on sprays. 

Ants
Ants
Introduction While ants themselves may not damage plants directly, they farm and protect sap-sucking pests like aphids and scale insects....
Aphids
Aphids
Summary Aphids are soft-bodied insects that multiply rapidly and drain nutrients from plants. Small sap-sucking insects in varying colours that...
Apple Codling Moth
Apple Codling Moth
Introduction Codling moths are notorious for damaging apples by tunnelling through the fruit. A black spot on your fruit with...
Black Spot
Black Spot
Summary Black spot is a fungal disease that causes unsightly dark spots on rose leaves and leads to premature defoliation....
Blossom End Rot
Blossom End Rot
Neither caused by a pest or disease, Blossom End Rot is actually caused by a nutrient deficiency - namely Calcium....
Bronze Citrus Bug
Bronze Citrus Bug
Summary: Sap-sucking insects which target citrus trees causing damage to young fruits and shoots. Bronze citrus bugs (Musgraveia sulciventris) are...
Cabbage White Butterfly
Cabbage White Butterfly
The cabbage white butterfly may appear harmless fluttering through your garden, but its caterpillars are voracious feeders that target brassicas...
Caterpillars
Caterpillars
Summary: Caterpillars are the larval stage for many butterflies and moths, and while some transform into beautiful butterflies, for most,...
Citrus Gall Wasp
Citrus Gall Wasp
Summary This tiny wasp causes large, unsightly galls on citrus trees, affecting tree health and fruit production. Swollen stems on...
Curl Grubs
Curl Grubs
Summary: Curl grubs are larvae lurking in the garden's soil. These C-shaped invaders can cause extensive root damage, and subsequently...
Earwigs
Earwigs
Summary Earwigs are often underestimated garden pests. While some are beneficial (helping to break down decaying wood), others can nibble...
Fruit Flies
Fruit Flies
Summary Fruit flies are tiny insects that can cause major damage by laying their eggs inside fruits. The larvae hatch...
Green Vegetable Bug
Green Vegetable Bug
The green vegetable bug, also known as the green stink bug, is a sap-sucking insect that damages a variety of...
Peach Leaf Curl
Peach Leaf Curl
Summary Peach leaf curl is a fungal disease that causes young leaves to become distorted, thickened and discoloured. A fungal...
Pear and Cherry Slug
Pear and Cherry Slug
Pear and cherry slugs are small, almost transparent larvae that resemble tiny slugs and are commonly found on the underside...
Powdery Mildew
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease that affects a wide range of plants, coating leaves and stems in a...
Root-Knot Nematodes
Root-Knot Nematodes
Summary These soil-dwelling worm-like pests attack plant roots causing swelling that stunts plant growth and development. Root-knot nematodes are microscopic...
Russet Mites
Russet Mites
Summary Russet mites are too small to see with the naked eye but cause visible damage to leaves and fruit....
Scale Insects
Scale Insects
Summary Scale insects attach themselves to stems and leaves, sucking plant sap and weakening growth. Scale insects are tiny, sap-sucking...
Slaters
Slaters
Summary Slaters are beneficial composters but become pests when overpopulated, feeding on soft plant tissue like seedlings and fruits. Slaters,...
Snails and Slugs
Snails and Slugs
Snails and slugs are some of the most common and frustrating pests in Australian gardens. These soft-bodied molluscs feed mostly...
Spider Mites
Spider Mites
Summary Spider mites are microscopic pests that spin fine webs and cause leaves to yellow, dry out and fall prematurely....
Thrip
Thrip
Summary: Thrips are tiny but devastating sap-sucking insects that damage plants by puncturing pant cells and extracting their contents. Thrips...
Verticillium Wilt
Verticillium Wilt
Summary: Verticillium wilt is a fungal disease that invades plants through the soil, silently destroying from within. Verticillium wilt (Verticillium...
Whiteflies
Whiteflies
Summary Whiteflies are small flying insects that feed on the undersides of leaves, draining sap and weakening plants. Tiny, sap-sucking...