Have your pests taken a vacation??

This has been the best year ever for our veggies and flowers. One reason is that I've finally learned what to do about various problems, and I act prophylactically. But another reason is that we just haven't had nearly the problems we typically have with slugs, snails and flea beetles. Is this just local to us in western Maine? What's your experience?

TIA
LAS

Slugs are about in some sections but generally not too many bad insects. I wondered if I'm doing something right by planting a lot of natives that attract the good insects. We also had the usual infestation of winter moths from the Norway maples next door. Tney nearly kill my stand of amelanchier trees every year. Come to think of it, until the woolly adelgids are gone from bothering the hemlocks, the coast isn't entirely clear.

I usually have few problems with insects, but this year, everything is being eaten! My roses are in terrible shape, Japanese beetles have made a mess of lots of my plants......

So far, minimal damage from Lily Leaf Beetle, which is my major pest. The Children's Potato Patch at our Public Library is showing only minimal leaf holes and no sign of potato beetles. No hornworms, so far. We don't usually get very many JB's up here on the hilltop unless they are blown off course by severe winds. Even the winter moth caterpillars were not as severe this year. I am saying all of this knocking on the wood of my computer desk.
Martha

Gardenmart, I should have mentioned the lack of red lily beetles too. Is that the same thing as Lily Leaf Beetle?

Yes, it is the same. The University of Rhode Island has been doing LLB research to try to discover effective insect predators. I believe my lack of beetles is due to a release of these predators in Wellesley, I believe. I went to the MA lily society show a couple of years ago to attend their seminars with the researchers at Tower Hill Botanic Garden.
Martha

Hope those predators make it to CT in a hurry.....my lilies are eaten & look awful!

I tossed most of my lilies, only kept the Casa Blancas, and have been spraying Spinosad whenever possible. Unfortunately we've had a lot of rain which washes it off, and now I'm away for nearly 2 weeks. I saw one red devil the day we were leaving, and sprayed again. Not sure what I'll find when we get back.

I've learned my lesson, never assume they're gone. I let them build up without realizing it, and when they struck it was nasty. :-(

I agree, Pam...they are my garden's worst pest! One lily that they don't really touch is Time Zone.....it's 5-6' in my garden, pink, very fragrant.....