Gardening Harmful insects Laidback Gardener Tip of the Day

Sleuthing Bugs in Hard-to-See Places

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Looking for insect eggs under leaves? Use a mirror! Source: www.amazon.co.uk, www.pixcove.com, clipartguide.com & shopforclipart.com, montage: laidbackgardener.blog

Tired of getting down on your knees to check for insects under your plants’ leaves? Or your knees just can’t take the strain anymore? And, of course, you know you should be checking: after all, that’s often where they hide their eggs! Well, there’s an easy way out: use an inspection mirror.

You’ve certainly seen one on TV or in a movie: police and customs officers seem to use them to check for materials hidden under a car. Well, you can do the same, except you’ll be looking for insects and their eggs and larvae hidden under leaves.

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Inspecton mirror. Source: uline.ca

You can easily find such a mirror in a police or tactical supply store or on-line. If you’re looking for sophistication, you can even find telescoping ones or lighted models. Or make one yourself by taping a small mirror to a long stick.

Next time you’re strolling in your garden, bring your inspection mirror along and give those leaf undersides a thorough checkout. You probably already know which plants you should be checking: those well-known for having pests that hide out under leaves, like lilies and cabbages. Look especially closely for egg cases, often small but in bright or at least contrasting colors. Just knock any you find into soapy water or onto the ground where you can scrunch them with the tip of your shoe.

Who knows what your neighbors will think, though, when they see you searching about in your garden with a mirror on a stick … but do you really care?

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