This article is all about aphids and how to get rid of them. There are a number of ways of getting rid of aphids but first…
What is an Aphid?
Aphids are nasty green insects that are attracted to almost all varieties of plants and can cause wanton destruction to them and even kill them.
They’re only around 6mm (1/4 inch) long but reside in large colonies that feed on the sap of plants. They’re usually green, however there are varieties that are black, brown and even pink in color and their body is shaped like a pear or tear. They have six legs and two antennae and a feeding tube that pierces a plants leaf or stem allowing the sap to gush into their feeding canals.
By consuming a plant’s sap, they effectively starve it
and this results in the leaves turning yellow or brown, blossoms and flowers falling off and the plant itself losing it’s vigour, becoming wilted and eventually dying. Aphids can also transmit diseases to your plants and secrete a by-product called honeydew, which can encourage fungus growth.
and this results in the leaves turning yellow or brown, blossoms and flowers falling off and the plant itself losing it’s vigour, becoming wilted and eventually dying. Aphids can also transmit diseases to your plants and secrete a by-product called honeydew, which can encourage fungus growth.
Because of their destructive capabilities, aphids have become the sworn enemies of both gardeners and farmers and the agricultural industry has spent millions on researching and producing insecticides that will kill them.
There are a number of insecticidal soaps available on the consumer market but if you’re reading this, you most likely don’t have time to wait for delivery and need a more immediate solution to get rid of your aphids.
How To Get Rid of Aphids
METHOD 1: There are a number of solutions to rid yourself of you aphid infestation but perhaps the most effective is to create your own insecticidal soap using everyday hosehold compounds. Simply add two tablespoons of dish detergent or washing-up liquid to a spray bottle of water. Add 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil and shake the bottle vigorously to ensure the solution is well mixed. Finally, spray the bugs with the solution. Repeat a few times a day until the aphid infestation is gone.
The chemicals in your insecticide will destroy the aphid’s protective wax coating causing them to ‘leak’ water and die, however you must ensure that each aphid is covered in the liquid or it won’t have any effect. Also, this method will only work on the aphids themselves and not their larvae.
Finally a word of warning: although the spray is not harmful to most plants, there are some species that may be damaged by it. Sweetpea, plum, cherry and hawthorn are notable examples. If in doubt, rinse the solution off your plant an hour or two after applying it.
METHOD 2: The second method is perhaps the simplest. Using a hose, knock the aphids off your plant through water pressure. Once they’ve been thrown away fromtheir food source they will soon die of starvation. It is recommended that this method be done outside and preferably away from any other plants to prevent them moving on to infest some other greenery.
METHOD 3: The third method involves introducing predators to your plants that will kill and eat the aphids and their larvae. Ladybugs / ladybirds love to snack on aphids as do spiders. To prevent ladybugs flying away, you can spray a little fizzy drink on their backs, which makes their wings stick together and prevents flight.
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Pests And Diseases
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