Identify and Manage Outdoor Insects | University of Maryland Extension

Updated: November 1, 2022

Spotted Lanternfly Management for Residents

Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive sap-feeding insect native to eastern Asia. It was first detected in Maryland in 2018.

Updated: August 29, 2022

Outdoor Insects in the Home Landscape

Most of the insects in the home landscape are beneficial. Learn to identify them and attract them to the garden. Learn to identify and manage other insects that may cause problems.

Updated: February 1, 2022

Predatory Bugs

Predatory bugs are in the insect order Hymenoptera and use piercing-sucking mouthparts to kill their prey.

Updated: October 25, 2022

European Hornets

The European hornet is the only true hornet in the United States. The notches on the abdomen distinguish it from the Asian Giant Hornet ("murder hornet"), which is not present in Maryland.

Updated: September 29, 2022

Spiders in Maryland

Spiders are general predators, feeding on a wide range of prey (insects, other spiders, etc.). They are beneficial to people because they feed on harmful insects.

Updated: September 22, 2022

Praying Mantid (Mantis)

Praying mantids, also called praying mantis, are generalist predators. They feed on a wide variety of other insects and even some small vertebrates.

Updated: August 16, 2022

Indian Wax Scale

Indian Wax Scale (Ceroplastes ceriferus) is a non-native type of soft scale insect and can be difficult to manage but easy to see.

Updated: August 16, 2022

Orange Aphids on Milkweed

Oleander aphids, (Aphis nerii) are little orange insects that commonly infest milkweed plants.

orange oleander aphids on swamp milkweed

Updated: August 16, 2022

Honeydew and Sooty Mold

Honeydew, a sugary waste product is produced by many sap-sucking insects. Sooty mold is a fungus that grows on the honeydew.

Leaves with and without sooty mold accumulation from magnolia scale feeding

Updated: July 11, 2022

Japanese Maple Scale: A Pest of Nursery and Landscape Trees and Shrubs (FS-967)

Unless Japanese Maple Scale (JMS) is monitored carefully and controlled early, populations of this armored scale can spread throughout a nursery or landscape to many species of woody plants and build up to levels that cause dieback and even death of infested plants.