1

Spotted and striped cucumber beetles

Image: Alexandria Szakacs

Striped and spotted cucumber beetles favor cucumbers and melon vines. These insects spread bacterial wilt from plant to plant, a disease that is often fatal. When striped cucumber beetles are a chronic problem, the best course of action is to choose bacterial-wilt-resistant cucumber varieties .

2

Colorado potato beetle

Image: Олександр К

As the name implies, the surest way to attract Colorado potato beetles to your garden is by planting potatoes. These insects lay clusters of orange-yellow eggs on the undersides of leaves, which hatch into highly destructive orange larvae that feed voraciously and grow quickly. While beetles can be killed at any stage, it's easiest to remove the adults and eggs by hand .

3

Eggplant flea beetle

Image: Weronika Romanowska

Eggplant flea beetles can destroy an eggplant plant in just a few days. While many insecticides can kill these pests, the most effective method requires protecting plants with summer-weight floating row covers. These covers transmit enough sunlight while physically blocking the beetles from the plants.

4

Harlequin cabbage bug

Image: David Clode

These insects might look striking, but they are the worst enemy of summer kale, broccoli, and other brassicas. They suck the sap from leaves, leaving behind unsightly pockmarks.

Harlequin cabbage bugs can be picked off by hand , and wearing a face mask can help you avoid the unpleasant odor they emit. Also, spraying them off with a jet of water will help knock them back.

5

Mexican bean beetle

Image: Viktor Talashuk

In a similar case to the one we mentioned earlier, it’s the larvae of Mexican bean beetles that cause the most damage. The adults emerge in late spring but usually don’t become a serious problem on bean plants until midsummer.

The best way to deal with this pest may seem harsh, but necessary if you want to keep your other plants safe: you must completely harvest and remove the infested plants from the garden . After picking all the beans, the entire plant should be pulled, bagged, and taken far away from the garden.

6

Red spider mites

Image: adege

Tiny red spider mites live on the undersides of leaves, where they feed on plant sap. To control them, the best approach is to increase humidity and, if growing under glass, introduce a biological control . Alternatively, organic sprays can also be effective.

7

Codling moth

Image: Mikkel Frimer-Rasmussen

These moths are responsible for the maggots found in apples. To avoid these, spray emerging caterpillars twice with bifenthrin , starting in midsummer. Another useful method involves hanging pheromone traps in late spring to catch male moths and prevent them from mating.

8

Winter moth

Image: Erik Karits

Winter moth caterpillars hide inside webbed leaves on fruit trees during the spring. One effective way to control these pests is by applying sticky traps to capture the adult moths before they lay eggs.

9

Scale insects

Image: efraimstochter

Scale insects cluster on branches and beneath leaves, often leading to poor plant growth. Other common symptoms include sticky excretions (called honeydew) and the development of sooty mold, especially on evergreens. The solution is to wash off the mold and spray the plant with horticultural oil .

10

Viburnum beetle

Image: Grant Ofstedahl

The Viburnum beetle and its larvae can create holes in the leaves. The answer to this is to spray the areas affected during the spring with bifenthrin or thiacloprid .

11

Adult vine weevil

Image: Henry Lai

The adult weevil is a nocturnal, flightless insect that makes notches in the leaves of your plants. To control this pest, apply nematodes by mixing them with water and applying the solution to the soil in the affected area.

12

Rose slug

Image: Naoki Suzuki

The rose slug is easy to overlook until its feeding starts to damage the leaves. Rose slugs feed on the undersides of leaves, out of sight, nibbling on the tissue between the veins. By the time they’re done, the leaves often resemble skeletons.

Luckily, the solution only requires blasting the slugs off the roses with a spray of water or treating them with spinosad, a bioinsecticide derived from soil bacteria.

1

"Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country" – John F. Kennedy, January 20, 1961

JFK's inaugural address challenged Americans to think beyond self-interest and embrace civic duty. The young president, at 43, the youngest ever elected, was calling on a new generation to serve their nation through programs like the Peace Corps, which he would establish just weeks later.

Instead of offering benefits and programs, Kennedy was asking for sacrifice and commitment . Coming at the height of the Cold War, his message resonated with Americans who wanted to prove democracy's strength by contributing to something larger than themselves.

2

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" – Ronald Reagan, June 12, 1987

President Reagan stood at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin and issued this bold challenge to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The Berlin Wall had divided the city since 1961, becoming the ultimate symbol of the Iron Curtain separating communist Eastern Europe from the democratic West. Reagan's advisors had actually tried to remove the line from his speech, thinking it too provocative.

While many factors contributed to the collapse of Soviet power, Reagan's words captured the West's determination to see freedom triumph . The quote became a rallying cry that helped accelerate the end of the Cold War.

3

"I have a dream" – Martin Luther King Jr., August 28, 1963

Standing before 250,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. King departed from his prepared speech and began repeating these four powerful words. His vision of racial equality and justice painted a picture of an America where his children would be judged by their character, not their skin color . The speech became the defining moment of the Civil Rights Movement.

Those words still resonate today because they captured both the pain of segregation and a hope for a better future. The phrase has been quoted countless times since, reminding us that the work of creating a just society continues.

4

"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" – Neil Armstrong, July 20, 1969

When Neil Armstrong's boot touched the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, he spoke these words to the estimated 600 million people watching on television back on Earth. The Space Race had culminated in an American victory that united the entire planet in awe.

Armstrong later said he'd meant to say "one small step for a man," but the indefinite article got lost in the transmission. Either way, it reminded everyone watching that we're capable of incredible things when we work together .

5

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" – Franklin D. Roosevelt, March 4, 1933

FDR spoke these words during his first inaugural address as the Great Depression gripped America. Banks were failing, unemployment had reached 25%, and desperate families were losing their homes. His message was clear: courage and action, not despair, would lead the country to recovery.

Roosevelt's confident tone and bold New Deal programs helped restore faith in the government's ability to help ordinary citizens. His words reminded Americans that their greatest obstacle wasn't the economic collapse itself, but the defeatist attitude that prevented them from fighting back.

6

"I shall return" – Douglas MacArthur, March 20, 1942

When Japan forced American forces to evacuate the Philippines in March 1942, General MacArthur made this simple promise before leaving. The early months of World War II had gone disastrously for the United States, with defeat after defeat in the Pacific. MacArthur's vow wasn't just military strategy—it was a psychological lifeline to Filipinos facing Japanese occupation and Americans reeling from Pearl Harbor.

Two and a half years later, MacArthur waded ashore at Leyte Gulf, fulfilling his promise as cameras captured the dramatic moment. Those three words had sustained Filipino resistance fighters and given Americans hope during dark days .

7

"Give me liberty, or give me death!" – Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775

Patrick Henry delivered this passionate declaration at Virginia's Second Revolutionary Convention as colonists debated whether to fight Britain. Many still hoped for peaceful reconciliation with King George III, but Henry argued that war was inevitable and delay would only weaken their position. His speech electrified the audience and helped swing Virginia toward supporting armed resistance.

Henry argued that life without liberty wasn't worth living, a radical notion that challenged centuries of monarchical rule. His words became a rallying cry that helped transform reluctant colonists into determined revolutionaries willing to risk everything .

8

"The eagle has landed" – Neil Armstrong, July 20, 1969

Before his famous first step, Armstrong radioed these understated words to Mission Control when the lunar module touched down on the Moon’s Sea of Tranquility. After a harrowing descent with alarms blaring and fuel running critically low, the simple phrase confirmed humanity's first successful landing on another world . Controllers in Houston erupted in celebration, knowing that the hardest part—safely landing—was accomplished.

9

"Yes we can" – Barack Obama, January 2007-November 2008

Obama's campaign slogan became a powerful affirmation that resonated with voters hungry for change. The phrase appeared everywhere: on signs, t-shirts, and in chants at rallies across the country. It worked because it was inclusive and optimistic, suggesting that, together, Americans could overcome challenges from economic recession to political division .

When Obama won the presidency, becoming America's first black president, those words took on even deeper meaning. For many, his victory seemed to prove the phrase true—that barriers once thought insurmountable could indeed be broken.

10

"Do you believe in miracles? Yes!" – Al Michaels, February 22, 1980

Sports broadcaster Al Michaels shouted these words as the final seconds ticked down in the U.S. Olympic hockey team's stunning upset over the Soviet Union at Lake Placid. The Soviets had dominated international hockey for years, and the American team consisted of amateur and college players.

The "Miracle on Ice" became more than just a sports victory—it was a Cold War triumph that lifted American spirits during difficult times . With the Iranian hostage crisis dragging on and economic troubles at home, the win felt like proof that Americans could still compete and win on the world stage.

1

Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California

Image: Aman

Los Angeles’ hellish traffic is world-famous and every experienced driver in this city has her or his own shortcuts to save time. But this one is a universal one for sure.

When driving through Hollywood, never take Hollywood Boulevard . Take, instead, Franklin or Fountain to get around the tourist mayhem. And, if you want to avoid the awful traffic of a Hollywood Bowl show, try Mulholland Drive.

2

Getting to the airport in Los Angeles, California

Image: Lukas Souza

Nobody likes missing a flight. Or, at least, most of us don’t care for that particular situation. And, when driving in the terrible Los Angeles traffic, that possibility is always looming in the background.

A sound advice from frequent flyers is to avoid the freeway altogether and take Crescent Heights until it dead-ends. Then, drive through La Cienaga to La Tijera all the way to the symbols that point to the airport.

3

Leaving New York is never easy, New York City, New York

Image: Matteo Catanese

Caught at the right time, New York City traffic can be as bad as LA traffic. And, as it usually happens, commute hours are the worst. The endless crowds and vehicles getting in and out of Manhattan through the different bridges and tunnels can create some serious delays.

Brooklyn Bridge, George Washington Bridge, and the Lincoln Tunnel are some of the most congested routes during rush hours. So, if you have no other options, make sure to schedule extra time just in case the traffic is as bad as it can be.

4

I-95, Miami, Florida

Image: Baron Alloway

Another city with legendary traffic is, without a doubt, Miami. And, as usual, commute hours can be a nightmare. I-95 is a major Interstate Highway on the East Coast and the Miami section is usually very congested . If you are trying to go south from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. or north from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., you have to expect delays, since those are the peak times for commuters who work downtown.

The High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes run from north of Miami to north Dade. You can only enter these lanes before 112/I-95 and you can only get off at the Golden Glades exit. Don’t take these lanes if you are trying to go anywhere between downtown and Northwest 183rd Street as there are no exits. Also, HOT lanes only accept SunPass as payment.

5

Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois

Image: Neal Kharawala

Continuing with another one of the monster-traffic cities of America, we can’t avoid the Windy City. Locals say that the city has two seasons: winter and construction , as the number of blocked streets, avenues, and roads can be nerve-wracking.

A shortcut locals use when driving through Lake Shore Drive to get off on Michigan Ave, heading southbound with a final destination past Illinois Ave, is to take Inner Lake Shore Drive and avoid the heavy congestion on Michigan Ave, as well as the occasional standstills on southbound Lake Shore Drive.

6

San Felipe instead of Westheimer, Houston, Texas

Image: Kevin Hernandez

Houston locals are familiar with busy Westheimer Avenue and know better than to fall into its trap during rush hour. They’d get stuck between multiple METRO bus routes, potholes, and never-ending construction sites.

The savvy drivers instead use San Felipe to get downtown or to the Galleria in a much shorter time.

7

Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, Phoenix, Arizona

Image: Nils Huenerfuerst

Even the widest highway will become congested once everyone finds out about it. We are looking at you, Los Angeles. But, for a while at least, new roads offer a smooth and quiet ride to the lucky few who discover them first.

This is the case with Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway. The 22-mile-long portion of the Valley beltway from 59th Avenue on the west side to Ahwatukee , which opened in late 2019, is a smooth drive. Rolling through a part of the Valley unspoiled by development, this freeway has light traffic and no, or very few, holes –for now.

8

San Diego International Airport, San Diego, California

Image: Justin Wolff

It may seem calmer compared to neighboring Los Angeles, but San Diego can have its traffic congestion, like any big city. Getting to the airport on time is always paramount and locals have tricks up their sleeves for this ride.

Drivers can take Washington Street to Pacific Highway and get to the airport that way, or they can also take Pacific Highway north to Barnett, then Lytton, then Rosecrans, then Nimitz, which can be better than going through Sassafras if there’s traffic.

9

LBJ interchange, Dallas, Texas

Image: Zack Brame

Dallas, Texas, is a major city with major traffic jams during rush hours. Trying to get to the LBJ interchange can be a recipe for disaster if you are in a hurry but there is a shortcut that can save quite some time.

If you are on the Central Expressway, you can get off at Coit Road , which will allow you to bypass the interchange. Instead, you'll wind around a corner and find yourself right back at the entrance ramps for LBJ. From there, you just wait for a light and merge back onto LBJ, having skipped over the whole mess.

10

I-35 alternatives, Austin, Texas

Image: MJ Tangonan

Texas’ hippest city, Austin has some major highways, including the I-35, Mopac Expressway (Loop 1), and Highway 183. These big highways can cause big delays if taken from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

But the city provides alternatives. Lamar Boulevard and Burnet Road provide time-saving options for I-35 . During rush hour and special events, knowing these lesser-used routes can save time.