Which Bugs Are Attracted To Sunflowers?

Sunflower plants are a popular target for pests, including thistle caterpillars, Colorado beetles, plant lice, and stem maggots. These insects can cause damage to the plant during different stages of development, such as the sunflower beetle, which chews on leaves and causes irregular holes and skeletonized foliage. Other common pests that eat sunflower leaves include squirrels, deer, rabbits, mice, voles, chipmunks, finches, aphids, weevils, beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, bees, and ants.

The most common species in sunflower fields is the tarnished plant bug, which attacks at least 385 different plant species and occurs in 39 locations. The sunflower beetle zygogramma exclamationis, native to North America, feeds only on sunflowers and can be confused with the Colorado potato beetle. Sunflower beetles are round beetles with a red-brown head and cream-colored wings covered.

Aphids are found on many plants, including fruits, vegetables, trees, and shrubs, and feed on juices from the plant’s stems and leaves. Handpicking Japanese Beetles off of garden plants is the best way to control them, as they are likely to get hungry. Mexican bean beetles can also get hungry, and yellow traps can be used to control them.

In summary, sunflower plants are a significant source of pests, and it is essential to monitor these insects during different stages of development to ensure their safety and health.

What is taking the heads off my sunflowers?

Wild birds and squirrels are known to eat sunflower seeds, and they often make a nuisance of themselves. To prevent damage to sunflower heads, it is essential to deter these animals from eating them. Some simple strategies include using netting over the sunflowers, planting decoy plants, keeping bird feeders filled, and placing feeding sites for squirrels. These methods can help protect the harvest from birds and squirrels, allowing you to keep the harvest to yourself.

By implementing these strategies, you can ensure that your sunflower seeds are protected and that the harvest is not taken by these pests. By doing so, you can ensure that your sunflowers remain a valuable and healthy resource for your garden.

What is the fuzz on sunflowers?

White mold, a fungal pathogen, is the most damaging of the ‘Sclerotinia diseases’ that impact sunflowers in the United States. It affects most broadleaf crops and weeds. Sclerotinia wilt/Basal stalk/stem rot, Sclerotinia mid-stem rot, and Sclerotinia head rot are often treated as three different diseases, but they are caused by the same fungus. Sclerotinia head rot is considered the most prevalent and economically important among the sunflower diseases in the Northern Great Plains, while Sclerotinia wilt and Sclerotinia mid-stem rot frequently occur and can cause yield loss.

The fungus survives as irregularly-shaped, very hard, and black structures called sclerotia, which develop on and in Sclerotinia-infected plant tissue and can persist for many years. The size and shape of sclerotia produced on sunflower vary greatly, ranging from ‘rat dropping’ size to as large as the face of a sunflower. Sclerotia produced from S. sclerotiorum are much larger than those produced by S. minor or A. rolfsii, which helps differentiate between pathogens and diseases.

Sclerotinia wilt/Basal stalk rot begins when soil-borne sclerotia germinate to form mycelium, which can directly infect growing root tissue of the sunflower. Symptoms manifest weeks later and are usually observed as a whole plant wilt, which can occur singly, in a row, or in a cluster of plants.

What are the flies around dead flowers?

Fungus gnats, also known as house plant flies or sciarid flies, are small black flies that live in house plant compost. They are mostly harmless, but can become a nuisance in the home. Their larvae feed on algae, fungi, and plant roots, causing minor root damage. Healthy plants usually tolerate this, but the larvae can harm seedlings or weak plants. Fungus gnats can be identified by their worm-like larvae, which live in the top 5-8cm of compost.

To get rid of fungus gnats, watering less and using a gravel mulch can break the fungus gnat lifecycle and stop them breeding in the compost. Other methods include using a natural pesticide, using a natural pesticide, or using a natural pesticide.

What do aphids look like?

Aphids are tiny, sap-feeding insects in the order Hemiptera, found in various colors and species. They are smooth and teardrop-shaped, with distinctive “cornicles” on their rear end emitting a harmless chemical. Some aphids are generalists feeding on many plants, while others are specialists feeding on only one species or related plants. All sap-feeders excrete honeydew, which evaporates, making a sticky, shiny mess on leaves, cars, or other surfaces. Later, black sooty mold grows on the honeydew, interfering with the plant’s photosynthesis.

The reason for aphids’ presence in the growing season is unclear, but it may be a combination of spring drought and gardening routines. Aphids are attracted to young, tender, fast-growing plant parts rich in nitrogen and stressed plants, which can lead to a negative impact on plants. The mild weather during the winter of 2022-2023 may have impacted plants, pests, and predatory insects, and aphids may be attracted to these conditions.

What eats the top of sunflowers?

Weevils are the most common insect pest in sunflowers, with red and gray seed weevils being the most common. Both species cause little damage to young sunflowers when feeding on their developing bracts, but they can cause significant yield loss when they hatch and feed on sunflower seeds. The red seed weevil is slightly smaller than the gray seed weevil, which is more abundant in the South and consumes more sunflower seeds. Both red and gray seed weevils ultimately reduce yield and test weight in the oleic market, and damaged seeds are sold at a discounted price in the confection market.

The gray sunflower weevil can cause enlarged seeds without a kernel, empty kernels, reduced seed weight and oil content, and partially empty kernels. To combat gray sunflower weevil activity, tillage, insecticides, and planting early are recommended. Scouting should begin in the R3 and R4 bud stages and continue through R5, as seeds can host eggs. Scout field borders are also essential for red sunflower weevil activity and insecticides.

What are the weeds in sunflowers?

It is not uncommon for sunflower fields to be populated by early-season weeds, including Kochia, marestail, lambsquarters, and redroot pigweed.

Are aphids harmful to humans?

Aphids are generally considered harmless insects, but they pose a threat to humans due to their damage to cultivated plants, particularly in temperate areas. Farmers dislike aphids as they often cause malformed fruit. Aphids cause discoloration, distortion of leaves, flowers, and fruit, and a fungus called sooty mold grows on honeydew, covering leaves and branches in a black sooty substance. They are also prolific vectors of plant viruses, carrying them from one plant to another through their mouthparts.

Controlling aphids is challenging due to their successful reproduction and tendency to live on the underside of leaves, which can be easily missed when spraying with insecticides. Some species are also resistant to common insecticides. Controlling aphids involves addressing drying, discoloration, stunted growth, and sooty mold in gardens.

Should you remove aphids?

Aphids are a common part of a healthy, balanced garden, providing food for various wildlife. They rarely kill plants, but they can cause leaf and bud distortion, spread plant viruses, and produce honeydew on which a sooty mold can grow. Controlling aphids is not necessary as they are part of the biodiversity of gardens and a vital food source for other wildlife. To control aphids, check plants frequently, use finger and thumb to squash aphid colonies, encourage natural enemies like ladybirds, ground beetles, hoverflies, parasitoid wasps, and earwigs, and wait for aphid populations to increase before they are active enough to control them.

Avoid attempting to control aphids on trees, as they support biodiversity and natural enemies typically reduce numbers. Some natural enemies can be purchased as biological control for greenhouses. The RHS recommends not using pesticides, as they reduce biodiversity, impact soil health, and have adverse environmental effects.

What are the pistils on a sunflower?

Sunflowers are a diverse flowering plant native to North and South America, adapted to various climates and soil types through their heliotrophic head, bristles on the stem, and broad leaves. They absorb sunlight for photosynthesis and protect the flower from animal predators. The bristly stem prevents water loss and protects the flower from predators. Sunflowers are part of the “aster” family, which includes thousands of species, and are native to North and South America. They use colorful petals and nectar to attract insects, which move pollen among flowers to form seeds. Additionally, their pointed leaf tips are an adaptation.

What is the most common pest in sunflowers?

Insect pests are a significant challenge in Texas sunflower production, with 15 of the 50 insect species recorded on sunflowers being potentially major. The sunflower moth is the most common pest, while stem weevils, seed weevils, stalk girdlers, and thistle caterpillars are occasional but serious pests. Both oilseed and non-oilseed sunflowers are grown in Texas, with oilseed seeds containing 38 to 50 percent oil used for bird feed and confectionery seeds used for various food products.

Sunflowers are suitable for spring planting or second crops after wheat, and are drought-tolerant, making them an attractive dryland crop in areas with limited irrigation. They also respond well under full irrigation.

What are the flies in sunflowers?

The species Strauzia longipennis, also referred to as the sunflower maggot, represents a North American pest of the sunflower (Helianthus annuus). In 2010, two females were documented on a juvenile sunflower plant in Berlin, Germany.