Sasha CampbellSome green shield bugs feed on specific plants, such as tomatoes, peaches, and apples, which can make them pests.
If you have these bugs in your garden, don’t worry! There are natural ways to control them.
This article will explore some simple and safe methods to keep these bugs away.
Identification
Green shield bugs are small, bright green insects. The adults look like beetles and have sucking mouthparts and a shield-like body [1].
You might see them in your garden. However, the southern green shield bug, not the common green shield bug, may damage some crops.
How to Get Rid of Green Shield Bugs Naturally
If you have green shield bugs in your house or bothering your plants, don’t worry. There are natural ways to keep these bugs away. Let’s learn about some of these methods.
1. Manually Remove Them from Plants
One way to control southern green shield bugs is to pick them off the plants with your hands.
You can wear gloves if you don’t want to touch them. Then, put them in a jar with soapy water to stop them from returning.
2. Keep the Garden Clean and Tidy
Many bugs, like stink bugs and green shield bugs, like gardens with weeds and debris.
If you keep your garden clean, with no debris lying around and free of weeds, the bugs will not have many places to lay their eggs or hide.
Therefore, rake up leaves and remove weeds to keep your garden clean.
3. Sacrificial Plants
Plant some extra plants just for the bugs. Green shield bugs will go to these plants instead of your favorite ones.
One plant that works well for this purpose is Calendula. Moreover, sweet corn and amaranth attract stink bugs, so these plants might also work as trap crops to attract shield bugs.
4. Repellent Plants
Some plants have a smell that green shield bugs may not like. Planting these can help keep the bugs away.
Geraniums, garlic, and citronella grass are some good repellent plants. They work well at keeping stink bugs away and might also work against shield bugs.
5. Neem Oil
Neem oil is a plant-based insecticide that has a smell that many bugs dislike.
Therefore, you can mix two tablespoons of neem oil with a gallon of water and spray it on your plants. This remedy will help keep the bugs away.
Spray your plants with this homemade shield bug spray at least two times a week.
6. Insecticidal Soap
This product is a special kind of soap that is safe for plants but not for bugs. Spraying it on green shield bugs can kill them.
You can also make insecticidal soap by mixing dish soap with water. Spray it on the bugs and watch them drown—the soapy water will clog their breathing holes.
7. Crop Rotation
Crop rotation is a clever way to confuse the bugs.
These bugs prefer to eat certain plants over others. So, if you avoid planting their favorite crop each year, the bugs will have difficulty finding their favorite food.
This makes it easier to keep your garden healthy and bug-free.
8. Weed Thoroughly
Green shieldbugs will lay their eggs on some weeds. So, if you eliminate the weeds in your garden and yard, the bugs will have fewer places to breed.
Many weeds are also breeding sites for green vegetable bugs. Therefore, pull them out regularly.
9. Pyrethrin-Based Insecticides
Pyrethrin-based insecticides are effective against sap-sucking insects. These products are effective against green shield bug eggs, nymphs, and adults.
10. Diatomaceous Earth
This product is a powder that looks like flour, but it’s not for baking!
Sprinkle diatomaceous earth on your plants. When the bugs crawl over it, the powder damages their exoskeletons, causing them to dry out and die.
11. Using Essential Oils
Essential oils, like peppermint, lemongrass, or lavender oil, can repel bugs.
Mix a few drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle and spray it on your plants. The pungent smell may keep these bugs away.
12. Predators
Many animals and creatures like to eat green shield bugs. You can reduce the number of bugs by encouraging these natural predators in your garden.
Some helpful predators include:
- Birds: Many birds love to eat bugs. You can attract them to your garden by building bird feeders and birdhouses.
- Spiders: While some people fear spiders, they help keep bug populations down.
- Ladybugs: Ladybugs are great at eating small bugs and their eggs [2]. You can buy ladybugs from garden stores and release them in your garden.
- Toads: Toads may also eat these insects.
13. Using Traps
To catch green shield bugs, you can set up simple traps. One easy method is to use a yellow sticky trap.
Many insects are attracted to yellow [3], and when they land on the sticky trap, they get stuck and can’t escape. You can buy these traps at garden stores or use yellow paper and sticky glue.
Takeaway
Green shield bugs can be pesky, but with these natural methods, you can keep them away from your garden and home. Try out these home remedies and see which one works best.
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