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 It is helpful to bring in a sample of the sick plant so we can make a more accurate diagnosis.  If the plant problem is caused by insects please put your sample in a plastic bag or catch the insect in a lidded jar.  Many insect or disease problems are common, but some are not and descriptions over the phone are hard to diagnose.   Plant problems may be cultural, weather related, caused by physical injury or stress, or have several possible explanations.  If possible bring a sample of different stages of the problem. 

   Please be willing to leave your sample and wait for a call back during the busiest seasons for answers to your problem.

  Plant samples can also be sent to the Plant Clinic at the University of Illinois.  For details go to http://plantclinic.cropsci.uiuc.edu/

     Further information can also be obtained from the U of I Cooperative Extension website at http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/state/hort.html

Control:  Spray with Spinosad or Liquid Sevin (Carbaryl).  Sprays such as B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis) are not effective since these are not caterpillars.

Control  Aphids are among the garden pests most effectively controlled by biological methods. Use insecticidal soap, pyrethrin, or neem oil.  Do not use Sevin; it may actually cause an increase in aphid population.

Eastern Tent Caterpillar

Found mostly on fruit type trees such as cherry, crabapple, apple, and pear, both edible and ornamental types. Small caterpillars hatch from eggs laid in an egg mass wrapped around twigs of the tree.  They crawl to a branch crotch and spin a silk tent in the branch crotch, one tent for each egg mass.  The caterpillars feed on the leaves of the tree and return to the tent after dark or when cloudy.  Caterpillars are hairy, black with a white or yellowish stripe down their back and have blue spots between the two yellow stripes. 

Control:  Wait until the caterpillars return to the tent and physically remove the tent with the caterpillars inside.  Use paper towels, newspaper, or rags to wipe the web out of the tree crotch or branch.  Sprays must be directed at the caterpillars while they are out of the web and feeding, if possible.  Use B.t. (Bacillus thuriengiensis) a natural safe insecticide, or ferti•lome Bagworm, Leafminer, and Tent Caterpillar spray.  Sprays are often hard to be effective on caterpillars within the tent so use them when the caterpillars are feeding on the leaves.  Eastern Tent Caterpillars last for 6-8 weeks in the caterpillar stage and then leave the tree to pupate.  The adult is a reddish brown moth with two white stripes across each forewing.

adults emerge from the soil during early May.  Their population peaks in early June four to five weeks later.  Feeding is the greatest on warm sunny days often in groups on the upper leaves of a variety of over 300 plant species.  Feeding holes are of moderate size and irregular and ragged, giving the leaf a lacy appearance
The larvae are white or grayish white grubs with a reddish-brown head about one inch long at maturity appearing somewhat C-shaped. They feed in the soil, devouring the roots of a large number of plants, especially turf grasses.

Control    Japanese beetles can be effectively controlled by knocking them from the leaves into a jar or bucket of soapy water.  It is especially important to control the early beetles to help reduce the numbers that will be attracted to them as they feed.  Japanese beetle traps with lures are available but should be placed away from desirable plants, such as at the edge of your property, to avoid attracting them to your plantings.  Sprays are effective in controlling the adult beetles such as Natural Guard Lawn, Pet, and Plant Spray (cedar oil), Neem Py (neem oil and pyrethrin), permethrin, and liquid Sevin.  Use Milky Spore spread on the lawn to naturally control the grub stage for 20 years or more.

Bagworms

Bagworm larvae (caterpillars) are dark brown and are totally enclosed in bags made of silk, small twigs and leaves that reach up to 2 inches in length.  In early June bagworms hatch from overwintered eggs laid in the female's bag the previous summer.  As soon as these caterpillars emerge from this bag they begin to build a new bag for themselves.  At this time the worms feed on tree and shrub foliage. Bagworms can be found on arborvitae, junipers, red cedars, spruce and other trees and shrubs. Severe damage or even death of an evergreen can occur if left untreated.

Control  If only a few trees or shrubs are infested, simply removing and destroying the bagworms will control them.  Sprays of Thuricide (B.t.) or Spinosad will control large infestations.  Apply early when bagworms are small for best control.

Powdery Mildew

Control  Avoid planting roses in shaded areas, particularly spots that tend to dry out slowly in the morning.  When the weather conditions favor fungal infection, spray every 7-10 days as long as needed.  Spraying may not be needed during periods of steady and repeated rainfall and necessary only in the dry months of late summer.

Slime Mold

It's weird. It's gross. It looks like Fido got sick on your freshly spread hardwood bark mulch. Or is it something from outer space? The truth is, it's what botanists call a slime mold, and it's harmless to you, your pets and your plants. If you don't care to look at it, simply scoop it up and put it in the compost pile. Or you can watch it change colors as it goes through this stage of its life cycle

Twig Girdler

A species of long horn beetle that attacks most hardwoods including dogwood, basswood, redbud, poplar, oak, persimmon, pecan and many fruit trees. A typical infected tree will exhibitsmall cleanly cut branches on the ground and sometimes dangling branch tips within the tree. The adult female twig girdler chews a V-shaped groove around a small branch, girdling it. She then deposits an egg under the bark in the upper portion of the branch above the V-groove. This is because the larvae of the beetle cannot live in healthy sapwood.
                

Twig Pruner

 Also a species of long horn beetle that attacks many of the same tree species, and its damage looks very similar to the twig girdler. On a closer look, the fallen twigs have a ragged edge along the bark of the twig. This is because this beetle larvae bores deep within the twig and spends this stage of its life cycle chewing its way out of the twig. Eating in concentric circles, the larvae reaches the bark, the branch is weakened and falls off.

Control  For both Twig Pruner and Girdler, gather fallen branches and prune suspected infested branches still in the tree and burn them.

Slugs

Control  Set bait traps such as dishes of stale beer dug in at ground level so the slugs crawl in and drown.  Or use diatomaceous earth, a white powder which is not harmful to humans, animals, or earthworms, but which cuts the slugs so they dehydrate. Slug and snail pellets may be used with caution, but they are fatal to pets and small children and should not be used where they may be eaten by them.  Sluggo (iron phosphate) is also a slug repellent and may be used around pets.

Azalea Lacebugs

Control  Spray insecticidal soap or Sharpshooter on the undersides of the leaves to control the adults. Apply every two weeks from spring through fall.  The damaged leaves will not recover but will be covered by new leaves in the spring.  This is the critical time to control the new lacebugs so the new leaves are protected from damage.

Black Spot

Control Remove infected and fallen leaves as soon as possible.  Prune back infected plants in spring and burn the prunings.  Many varieties are resistant to black spot disease, so look for resistant roses when choosing plants.  Wilt-Pruf anti-transpirant spray can be used to coat the leaves and prevent infection by spores.  Also a mixture of 1 Tablespoon baking soda and 1 Tablespoon horticultural oil in 1 gallon water, sprayed weekly, will help prevent the disease. Chemical controls include ferti•lome Systemic Fungicide and Rose, Flower, and Vegetable Spray (neem oil).