Comments on: Year of the Aphids

By: Thomas Ferraro

Thomas Ferraro — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:04:54 +0000

We had an aphid infestation in bed of nasturtiums and sunflowers (northern NJ) that looked almost as bad as you pictured. I started pulling off the worst leaves, but realized the entire plants would soon be bare. A massive dose of ladybugs did the trick. Our girls loved spreading them around. IANAE (I am not an entomologist), so don’t know what kind of aphids they were, but did not see any ant activity.

By: Luc J

Luc J — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:29:43 +0000

I’ve seen the ants attack the ladybugs to protect the aphids on my roses. But the roses do survive when help arrives on time.

I use insecticide most of the time, will try the soapy water next time.

By: bbum

bbum — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:39:10 +0000

Ladybugs work great for a reasonable sized infestation. For infestations like the bean plant, elimination of the plant is the only way. The plant is already pretty much dead anyway, given the trauma. In the case of the oleander aphids, the ants will defend the aphids to the point where the ladybugs will typically head to easier hunting grounds.

I find that a soapy water solution generally works to disrupt the cycle. Or grab one of the organic friendly insecticide soaps at the hardware store. It is pretty innocuous stuff, containing an extract that kills the bugs but doesn’t harm the plant (nor humans).

By: Peter Bierman

Peter Bierman — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:24:13 +0000

Do you have any luck with ladybugs? My dad used to buy them to control aphids.

By: annbb

annbb — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:38:58 +0000

Aphids only appeared on nasturtiums after I’d brought them home. The absolute bane of my existence (and everyone else’s) this year in our CG were Mexican beetles. I hate them. They look like orange ladybugs. They ate all the foliage and where they were done with that, started in on the beans. I really really hate them.