Bugs and Pests

"Bugs and Pests"

Do you like insects? Do you get “buggy” at the sight of a Japanese beetle?  Are you curious about an insect you found in your back yard? Well, you’ve come to the right place, because in this section, we’re all about bugs.

You may think all bugs are “pesky pests,” but some are actually beneficial. Take the waterfern beetle, which eats destructive weeds and other pests. Some insects, like the spotted lanternfly (see above), are beautiful but highly destructive to crops.

Here at ARS, we have teams of scientists and researchers specializing in entomology (insects). They use scientific information and tools to detect, control, and eradicate insects that negatively impact crops, animals, and humans. In fact, we even use insects to attack other insects, a method called biocontrol.

Be sure to stop by often to learn about our insect research – we promise not to bite or sting.

In This Section

Wasp Kills Foes From the Inside Out

These parasitic wasps lay eggs inside the developing fly larva and consume them from the inside.

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Protecting Our Pollinators

Pollinators are essential to healthy, biodiverse ecosystems.

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This Caterpillar Feeds on Orchids

ARS scientists are constantly discovering and describing new species of insects like the ostrich moth.

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Insect Fight Club: Stink Bug vs. Samurai Wasp

A tiny parasitic wasp known as the samurai wasp, may be the solution to the major economic damage to crops perpetrated by the stink bug.

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A baseball and a wooden bat laying on grass.
Three Strikes and You're Out

Learn how ARS scientists are working hard to fight this pest and protect our beloved ash trees.

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Persimillis: Saver of the Strawberries

The Carmine predator mite eats other mites and insect pests

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The Cactus Moth

These caterpillars started as a “friend” but became an invasive “pest”.

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Beauty or a Beast?

ARS researchers have been hot on the trail of the destructive spotted lanternfly.

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Dusty Rose Myrtle Borer

The caterpillar of the dusty rose myrtle borer feeds on the tissues inside stems of plants in the myrtle family.

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Crapemyrtle Bark Scale

This insect is native to East Asia and feeds on the sap of the vividly colorful crapemyrtle trees, as well as apple and blackberry plants.

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