Scout the same route each week, including leaf undersides.
Broad sprays used before identification can kill natural enemies and turn a small problem into a repeating one.
Identify first; physical controls before a narrow, labeled product.
Kit
- 10× hand lens
- Phone camera or notebook
- Gloves
- Hose nozzle with a firm water stream
- Small container for an identification sample
- Optional lightweight row cover
- Any pesticide label before purchase or use
Do this
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Scout the same route each week
Check growing tips, lower leaves, leaf undersides, stems, flowers, and nearby weeds. Compare healthy and damaged plants.
UC MG.
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Separate pest, damage, and beneficial
Photograph the organism and the symptom together. Look for eggs, cast skins, sticky honeydew, frass, webbing, or tunneling.
- Do not assume every insect caused the damage.
- Keep lady beetles, lacewings, syrphid larvae, and parasitoids working.
- Use UC IPM identification help when uncertain.
UC MG.
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Decide whether action is needed
Ask whether new damage is increasing, whether the crop is young or nearly harvested, and how much loss you can accept. A vigorous squash can tolerate more chewing than a newly emerged seedling.
UC MG.
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Fix growing conditions first
Correct water stress, crowding, weeds, and diseased debris. Exclude predictable pests with row cover before they arrive, but remove covers when a fruiting crop needs pollination.
UC MG.
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Use physical controls
Hand-pick hornworms and snails, prune a heavily infested leaf when the plant can spare it, and dislodge aphids with water while supporting the stem. Recheck before escalating.
UC MG.
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If necessary, choose a narrow control
Use a product only when the pest and edible crop appear on the label. Follow every rate, timing, protective-equipment, pollinator, temperature, and harvest-interval direction.
UC IPM.
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