What causes an infestation of aphids?
On healthy plants, these common insects don't cause much harm, and beneficial insects, including ladybugs, help reduce their numbers. Aphids become more of a problem when things get out of whack, which can happen when plants are stressed by drought, poor soil conditions, or overcrowding.
Remove aphids by hand by spraying water or knocking them into a bucket of soapy water. Control with natural or organic sprays like a soap-and-water mixture, neem oil, or essential oils. Employ natural predators like ladybugs, green lacewings, and birds.
Aphids are small, soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects that cluster densely on tender new growth and the undersides of leaves to suck plant juices. Plants often can withstand some aphid feeding with no adverse effect, but badly infested plants develop distorted growth and leaves may turn yellow or drop off.
The infestation process begins as winged adult aphids come in from their winter hideaways (usually the craggy bark of nearby trees) during early spring when weather is warm enough to allow their flight and migration, and this can be very early in the season.
Indoors, aphids spread between plants by flying or crawling. Aphids cause damage by sucking sap from new growth on plants. They tend to cluster at the growth end of plants and attach themselves to the soft, green stems.
To make an insecticidal alcohol solution, mix equal parts 70 percent alcohol and water (or, if using 95 percent alcohol, mix 1 part alcohol to 1 ½ parts water). You can also add alcohol to a soapy emulsion to make it more effective.
- Avoid over-fertilizing your plants. ...
- Keep your plants well watered. ...
- Attract beneficial insects to your garden. ...
- Grow plants with natural pest-repelling properties around your yard. ...
- Plant a trap crop to attract aphids.
Common aphid targets include a wide variety of food plants such as fruit trees, melons, vine-grown vegetables, underground vegetables, leafy vegetables, and some herbs. They also feed on ornamentals, shrubs, and non-fruit trees. They are also attracted to some weedy plants like sowthistle and milkweed.
They reproduce asexually during the growing season. Eggs over-winter in soil or, in warm seasons, are attached to leaves and stems above the root line where they hatch and fall to the ground. The aphid bores into the root, creating scars that leave plants vulnerable to mildew and disease.
Each female produces hundreds of offspring over several generations. The average lifespan of an aphid is approximately one month. They reach sexual maturity in four to ten days and then are able to produce their own offspring.
Where do aphids lay eggs?
On evergreen host-plants aphid eggs are commonly laid on leaves. Below (first) are Cinara acutirostris eggs laid single-file along a needle (note the damaged or infertile egg), and (second) Cinara pini (these eggs, being small, are not laid in a single row).
If insecticides are needed, insecticidal soaps and oils are the best choices for most situations. Oils may include petroleum-based horticultural oils or plant-derived oils such as neem or canola oil. These products kill primarily by smothering the aphid, so thorough coverage of infested foliage is required.
Life cycle of aphids
Eventually the plant containing the stem mother and her offspring becomes overcrowded. When this occurs, some offspring develop into adults with two pairs of large membranous wings. These winged adults fly to new plants. In late summer both males and females are produced.
In spring the eggs on the plant (primary host) hatch, leading to the first generation of aphids. All the aphids born from the winter eggs are females. Several more generations of female aphids are born during the spring and summer. A female can live for 25 days, during which time she can produce up to 80 new aphids.
Insects tend to be most active in the early morning. The best time of day to spray for aphids is first thing in the morning.
The primary reasons aphids keep coming back is because of their constant reproduction, ability to hide, and ability to move to new plants. Controlling pests, especially aphids, is not a once-and-done deal.
Apterous (wingless) aphids move from plant to plant very small distances, at a speed of around 5–20 cm min-1 depending on the species [12], or may 'run' from 15–35 cm min-1[12, 23, 67].
Not only is vinegar effective in killing aphids and ants, but it is also better for the environment. This homemade solution can combat aphid pests while still keeping a healthy garden for beneficial insects like bees and ladybugs.
Natural Pest Repellent
Cut up banana peels to bury 1 to 2 inches deep in the soil around plants that are prone to aphid infestations to repel and remove aphids from the area.
Soap and Water
A few tablespoons of liquid dish or insecticidal soap diluted in a pint of water is the simplest way to make a natural aphid killer spray for that aphid infestation. After mixing the water and soap mixture, fill up a squirt bottle, take a dish sponge and head out to your garden.
Does baking soda help with aphids?
Killing aphids with baking soda – a perfect solution for insects in your garden. A baking soda solution has many uses – it can be used also for fighting with garden pests. It is effective mostly against aphids, but you can use it for whiteflies and mites as well.
Ladybugs, ladybird beetles, or lady beetles are the most common (or at least best known) generalist aphid predators.
Yellow Solo Cup Aphid Trap - YouTube
Some good trap plants for aphids are nasturtiums and sunflowers. Sunflowers are so big and strong that they can take a real hit from aphids without suffering any damage.
Rain or water the leaves as if there is a heavy rainfall. This will knock off most of the aphids from the leaves, however doesn't entirely kill them – it just manages to get them off of the plants for a short time.
Walk your grounds daily and pinch off any eggs or aphids you spot. To remediate an infestation, try sticky solutions, a steady stream of water, horticultural oil, soap suds or insecticidal soap, diatomaceous earth, beneficial nematodes for the root variety, or pruning.
Aphids feed on plant material and do not feed on humans or animals. Aphids do not live in human hair. If an aphid accidentally contacts your hair or pets' fur, it will not stay there.
Unlike thrips, which can bite and leave minor rashes, aphids do not typically puncture or irritate skin since their mouthparts (known as stylets) are designed for piercing plant tissue. Aphids cannot survive in hair or cause any harm if accidentally swallowed.
Make a homemade insecticidal soap, a low-toxicity bug control solution that will desiccate the soft bodies and kill the aphids without doing harm to your plants. Simply mix a few teaspoons of liquid dish soap with one quart of water, then spray or wipe the solution onto the leaves, stems, and buds of the plant.
They reproduce asexually during the growing season. Eggs over-winter in soil or, in warm seasons, are attached to leaves and stems above the root line where they hatch and fall to the ground. The aphid bores into the root, creating scars that leave plants vulnerable to mildew and disease.
What is the best aphid killer?
If insecticides are needed, insecticidal soaps and oils are the best choices for most situations. Oils may include petroleum-based horticultural oils or plant-derived oils such as neem or canola oil. These products kill primarily by smothering the aphid, so thorough coverage of infested foliage is required.
Sometimes called plant lice, they are one of the most common pests of indoor plants. Aphids are easily brought indoors on infested plants, attached to clothing, or by the wind through an open window. Aphids come in a range of colors including green, yellow, orange, red, beige, pink, and black.
