Find research-based information on both helpful and harmful insects, spiders and other insect relatives. Learn how to identify insect damage on plants and in the landscape as well as how to prevent and control common household insect infestations.
UMN Twin Cities is an affiliate of Bee Campus USA, an initiative of the Xerces Society that raises awareness of the importance of pollinators and actions each of us can take to help pollinators.
Prevent or minimize pest issues on indoor plants by choosing the right plants and providing good overall care.
Scale insects are common on many trees and shrubs. Natural enemies help keep them in check but scales sometimes can injure plants.
Insects, diseases and nematodes affecting corn
Insects and diseases affecting soybean
Ants, bed bugs, clothes moths, cockroaches, flour beetles, springtails, wasps
Boxelder bugs, Asian lady beetles, flies, earwigs, masked hunters, springtails and stinkbugs
Pantry pests, carpet beetles, clothes moths and silverfish
Spiders, ticks, mites, millipedes, centipedes, scorpions and sowbugs
Bed bugs, fleas, head lice and medically significant insects
UMN Twin Cities is an affiliate of Bee Campus USA, an initiative of the Xerces Society that raises awareness of the importance of pollinators and actions each of us can take to help pollinators.
Visit the Bee Lab for information on helping pollinators
Grow bee lawns and pollinator friendly plants
Take this quiz and learn how your backyard could better benefit bees and other beneficial insects
List of plants for bee food and habitat
Lacewings, lady beetles, minute pirate bugs, parasitoid wasps, syrphid flies
Four-lined plant bug, iris borers, rose chafers, spider mites
Insects, spiders and other bugs that particularly help, harm or feed on fruits and vegetables in the home garden
Bluegrass billbug, cicada killers, cutworms, white grubs
Aphids, caterpillars, Japanese beetles, scales, sawflies
Black flies, mosquitoes and ticks
Identify insects in and around your home and yard
Plant diseases, insects pests of plants, control weeds
School IPM programs reduce pesticide applications and increase cost-effectiveness. Manage ants, rodents, wasps and bees.
Many yard and garden pests can be controlled successfully without pesticides.
Hungry animals are just a symptom of your dug-up lawn’s actual problem: white grubs.
Now that most Minnesotans can see their lawns again after a record-breaking winter, some aren’t too happy with what the melt has revealed. People are noticing big, juicy white grubs feeding on their lawns.
Tropical milkweed is one type of milkweed advertised to support monarchs. But it has a complex and likely negative impact on the butterflies.
Timely information to help you care for your yard and garden.
© 2023 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.