Garden
Aphids
Look for live colonies on tender growth before treating curled leaves.
Acyrthosiphon pisumPhoto credit
A closer look at the garden
Start with the plant. Then the damage.
Leaf holes and brown patches have more than one explanation. Keep the host, the actual organism and recent growing conditions together.
Look for the cause, not just the damage.
Choose the actual plant and symptom for confirming checks, alternatives and your next step. Confirm the organism before treating, and leave beneficial predators in place.
Explore by problem
All plant guides ↗Garden field notes
Garden
Caterpillars
Find the larva, its waste and its feeding site before acting on holes.
Manduca sextaPhoto credit
Garden
Slugs & snails
Inspect after dark for the animal or fresh slime near chewed plants.
Arion vulgarisPhoto credit
Garden
Plant disease & stress
Start with the plant, the pattern and its growing conditions.
Alternaria solani on Solanum lycopersicumPhoto credit
Garden
Beneficial Insects
Before removing an insect, check what it is eating and which life stage you are seeing.
Harmonia axyridisPhoto credit
Read all plant inspection checks without the interactive tool ↗. Compare with the deeper host-specific UC IPM diagnostic tool. California source; use local expertise for regional thresholds and unfamiliar hosts.