Published On: February 25, 2021
Updated On: November 17, 2022
As spring plants flourish, starving aphids arrive to break them down slowly. Despite their teeny-tiny bodies, aphids have a big appetite for many types of flowers, vegetables, and fruit trees.
Your very own plants could fall victim to them. But luckily, you’ll be prepared to tackle them after reading our guide to aphids below.
In this blog, we will cover the following:
Identifying Aphids and Recognizing Signs
Aphids are some of the smallest pests that are easy to miss if you’re not looking for them. They come in various colors: white, brown, black, yellow, light green, or pink. They have pear-shaped bodies with long antennae and two tubes that protrude from their rear.
Aphids are typically wingless, but their species can develop wings over time if the aphid population becomes crowded. They can then use their wings to find more sources of food easily.
Check the undersides of leaves and other areas, and if you start to see any of the following, an aphid infestation could be the reason behind it:
- Rolling of leaves
- Yellowing of leaves
- Sticky substance coating the stems and leaves of plants (Called honeydew or sooty mold)
- Deformed fruit or flowers
- Galls (abnormal growths) on leaves, roots, or flowers
Overall Effect of Aphids
In addition to the rolling and yellowing leaves, sticky substance, deformity of flowers and fruit, and the growth of galls, the presence of aphids can have even more negative effects on your plants and fruit or vegetable garden.
Due to aphids feeding on them, infested plants can lose whole leaves and stop growing and developing completely. Worst of all, when feeding, they can transfer irremediable viruses from plant to plant.
Control and Management
There are several things you can try to do your own pest control to combat aphid activity, including the following:
- Getting rid of weeds (where aphids often lay their eggs)
- Adding plants that repel and control aphids
- Catnip
- Nasturtiums
- Garlic and chives
- Spraying a rubbing alcohol and water mixture on your plants
- Using insect nets to cover your plants
- Using horticultural oil as a repellent
- Insecticidal soaps (While these can be helpful, they can also harm beneficial insects such as ladybugs which feed on aphids.)
- Dish soap
Get Rid of Aphids In Your Home and Yard With Insectek
It can be frustrating to have bugs destroying plants you’ve worked so hard to grow and manage. Insectek offers advice and a helping hand to those trying to fight off aphids. Get in touch with us for more information today.
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