Pacific West Botanicals From Planting Instructions: under Pests and Diseases Aphids Aphids are oval, soft, pinhead-to match-head sized insects that huddle together on new shoots, leaves and buds. They come in many colors including red, green, pink, and black, with and without wings. Numerous creatures keep aphid populations in check; often the best tactic is to do nothing and watch natural controls go to work. Lacewings, syrphid flies, ladybird beetles, predatory midges, lizards and parasitic wasps and some small birds are among the many natural aphids controls that may live in your garden. You risk killing the insect predators along with the problem if you spray with a toxic insecticide. A blast of water from the hose will get rid of most aphids. You can wash them off with an insecticidal soap for greater effectiveness, the soap kills aphids but does not have a residual effect so won�t harm other insects later. The most troublesome aphids are those that curl leaves around them or stay in protected places ( inside a head of lettuce, for example ). The best control for these aphids is anticipation. Expect them this year if you had them last year. When the aphid colony is young and the leaves are still open, hose or wash them off. If an aphid infestation is severe, spray with insecticidal soap diazinon or malathion. Ants will often maintain aphid colonies, fighting off parasites and predators in order to feed on the sticky honeydew aphids produce. Natural aphid controls often can re-establish themselves in short order if you get rid of the ants, Encirle trunks with bands of a sticky ant barrier to keep ants out of plants. |