Bees & Flies on Juniper Bush

Honeydew Buffet

• Varied junipers include everything from the "Wichita Blue" Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum "Wichita Blue"), which grows to 20 feet tall in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 7, to the Japanese garden juniper cultivar "Nana" (Juniperus procumbens "Nana"), a low-growing type that grows no more than 1 foot tall in USDA zones 4 through 9. Though the occasional bee or fly isn’t a problem, a swarm of them should worry you: the only time bees and flies are likely to flock to your juniper is if it is covered in aphid honeydew.

Aphid Troubles

• Many types of juniper have problems with aphids, though it is not common. Giant conifer aphids (Cindara spp.) are usually the culprits when it comes to afflicted juniper bushes. These have brown, teardrop-shaped bodies, are about 1/4 inch long, and feed on plant tissues, secreting a sweet, sticky substance called honeydew. This attracts bees and flies, as well as wasps, yellow jackets and ants. You can often get rid of infestations by spraying juniper bushes with a forceful jet of water. Or introduce populations of ladybugs, lacewings or parasitic wasps.

Bothersome Bagworms

• Bagworms are neither bees nor flies, though if you aren’t looking closely, you might mistake them for flies. They are moths, and although in the adult stage they do no harm other than laying another generation of eggs, their larvae can be destructive. The larvae use silk and pieces of plant material to make elongated orange-brown cocoons, usually 1 1/2 to 2 inches long, and feed on plant tissue. You can remove the bags by hand when populations are small.

Webworm Woes

• Though junipers are hardy and usually don’t have many problems, juniper webworm may cause problems or be mistaken for flies. It too is a moth, though again, it might look like a small fly to the untrained eye. Webworm larvae feed on leaves, causing them to turn brown, then spin white webs around damaged leaves. As the larvae grow, so do the webs. Control webworms by pruning affected branches and removing them from your yard. Where it's legal, you can burn the branches.