The yellow fleur-de-lis is a perennial member of the iris genus . Its scientific name , Iris pseudacorus , refers to the similar appearance its parting carry to Acorus sweet flag , the sweet signal flag industrial plant . Native to part of Asia , Africa and Europe , this vivid jaundiced efflorescence prove to be enticing to gardeners and pests , a number of which will eat the leafage of these blooming beaut . The pests that affect the chicken flag are not undivided to this plant and will generally eat any fellow member of the iris family they come across .
Macronoctua Onusta
The larva of the Macronoctua onusta moth is also known as an " iris woodborer . " These pests have a range as far northward as the Canadian perimeter and as far south as Tennessee . They begin eating iris foliage in the early outpouring until the end of summer . Iris borer will begin eat the out leaves first , working their way toward the mall of the industrial plant . finally , the caterpillars will burrow into the main stalk of the flower , eating their way through the plant .
Orthacheta Bud Fly
The larvae of this pesky insect erotic love to eat on the pollen of fleur-de-lis . The larvae resemble small , white maggots . They bear into the bud of the yellow iris and junket upon the pollen inside . When the iris blooms , the efflorescence will be deformed and spoil . The Orthacheta bud rainfly larvae burrow into the stem of the Iris to safely await the transformation into an adult .
Voles
Although many of the plants that flow on the white-livered iris are insects , the vole is a notable exclusion . A vole is a belittled , mousy creature that nibble on industrial plant base and stem . field mouse travel in underground mesh , occasionally coming to the surface . Their tunneling abilities make it easy for them to corrode the root of the sensationalistic iris without ever being seen . Pest restraint measures work to control them , but if you ’re nice about this , blistering pepper sauce will prevent field mouse from snacking on your irises .
Nematodes
Nematodes are catchy to sort out and even trickier to control . There are good nematodes and speculative nematodes . Technically , nematodes are microscopic organisms that experience in the soil . Because they are so hard to see , many gardeners and imagination consider them a disease rather than a parasite . A common example of nematodes are roundworms , which sop up the juices from the roots of iris plants . Over - watered irises , as well as those that have been expose to a drought - flood spot , are more prone to nematode impairment than irises that have been watered middling at regular intervals .
