Insects and Bugs

Aphids (Aphidoidea)
A common pest in Nevada gardens, and can be particularly trouble-some during cool, moist conditions. Their feeding results in off-colored, distorted or curled leaves. Key Characteristics: Small, soft bodied insects, about one tenth of an inch long.
Learn more about Aphids

Cabbage Moth (Pieris rapae) and (Trichoplusia ni) 
Both species eat leaves as caterpillars. They typically hide under leaves or near the base of the plant. Key Characteristics: The cabbage white caterpillar is smooth and light green. When fully grown, it's slightly over 1 inch.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CABBAGE MOTH

Carpenter Ant (Camponotus spp.)
Carpenter ants are some of the largest ants found in the United States; they can range from ¼ inch to ½ inch in size and come in a variety of colors. Key Characteristics: Variety of colors; look for a single node at their thin waist, hairs on an evenly round thorax.
Learn more about the Carpenter Ant

Earwigs (various species)
Common earwig problems are damage to developing seedlings and flowers. Key Characteristics: Earwigs are glossy brown, somewhat flat insects ranging in size from ½ to 1” in length. Their most distinctive feature is a set of “pincers.”
Learn more about Earwigs

Elm leaf beetles (Xanthogaleruca luteola)
Adult beetles chew through the entire leaf, leaving a shothole pattern. Larvae skeletonize leaf surfaces by eating the leaf without breaking through the opposite surface. Key Characteristics: Yellow and brown larvae, yellow shelled adults.
Learn more about Elm Leaf Beetles

Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex spp.)
Nests are quite noticeable, mostly harmless to people and can be beneficial to the surrounding environment. Key Characteristics: Harvester ants are often confused with fire ants but are larger and less aggressive. 
Learn more about the Harvester ant

Hornworms (Manduca sexta) and (Manduza quinquemaculata)
Hornworms typically will leave a plant stem completely bare, with the exception of the leaf veins. Key Characteristics: Thick and green, both varieties of hornworm grow into large moths. 
Learn more about Hornworms

Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica)
A highly destructive pest to ornamentals, trees, shrubs, turfgrass, and vegetables. Especially harmful because the adults and grubs feed on plants and can cause significant damage. Key Characteristics: Adults are metallic green with bronze-colored wings. Grubs are creamy, white, C-shaped.
Learn more about Japanese Beetles

Mormon Crickets (Anabrus simplex)
Mormon crickets are flightless, ground-dwelling insects native to the western United States. They eat native, herbaceous perennials, grasses, shrubs, and cultivated forage crops. Key Characteristics: Shield-backed, short-winged katydids that resemble large grasshoppers.
Learn more about Mormon Crickets

Orange sulphur butterfly (Colias eurytheme [Boisduval] )
Also called alfalfa caterpillar, a common species found in natural and agricultural areas of Nevada. Key Characteristics: Fast, erratic flying butterfly, usually seen as a yellow to orange sometimes with black markings. Caterpillars are green, football shaped eggs.
Learn more about Orange sulphur butterfly 

Shield Bugs (Chlorochroa spp. [shield bug] ) and (Halyomorpha halys [brown marmorated stink bug] )
Sometimes called stink bugs, these plant-feeding bugs stick their piercing-sucking mouthparts into plant stems or fruit. Key Characteristics: Winged, somewhat triangular insects, release a foul odor when disturbed, variety of colors including brown and green.
Learn more about Shield Bugs

Spongy Moth, formerly Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar)
A serious insect pest of trees and shrubs. It does its damage during the caterpillar (larval) stage when it can eat as much as a square foot of leaves daily. Key Characteristics: Brownish, hairy caterpillars are easy to identify when about half-grown by pairs of red and blue dots on their backs.
Learn more about Spongy Moth

Squash Bugs (Anasa tristis)
Squash bugs use sucking mouthparts to extract plant sap, often feeding in large groups. Key Characteristics: Adult squash bugs are gray with brown wings, oval-shaped with flat abdomens. They can have alternating light/dark spots along the edges of the abdomen.
Learn more about the Squash Bug

White-lined sphinx moth or Hummingbird moth (Hyles lineata)
Caterpillars feed on a large variety of plant parts, leaves, green fruits and even stems. The adults are important pollinators. Key Characteristics: Adults have brown wings with thick tan lines. Caterpillars come in a variety of colors but have a horn in the back.
Learn more about the Hummingbird moth