How to Identify and Get Rid of Aphids on Plants

A mixture of milk and water 50/50 is effective, safe, and good for the plant. It won't kill bees or butterflies either!

The creator of the “magical” kills all aphids recipe seems to be selfishly guarding the recipe. I found the dish soap, alcohol recipes to be very successful on indoor plant infestation. I will be mixing up a batch and spraying outdoor tree limbs. The aphids have regrettably damaged orchids hanging on the branches.

I have a question I had some holes in the leaves of my rose bush so sprayed with diluted dish soap and the next day some of my roses were dead and the were what looked like a bunch of tiny eggs on the dead roses what could this be?

I have used Lady bugs with success. A friend had told me about banana peels, which appear to work. So when I put my pepper plants in the greenhouse, I will lay banana peels beneath the plants and have not had the problem. It is worth a try.

Onion spray is safe and easy to make. I found instructions online for making an onion spray in a pot outside. It works well. I respray at first sight of aphids. Easy control method.

Insecticides, neem oil, and other pesticides can harm butterflies, butterfly caterpillars, and specifically the endangered Monarch butterfly and their babies. Making my spray is cheap, easy (can let a puree sit in the sun, then strain, and funnel liquid into a bottle.) It's effective, easy, and safe. I like to focus on the nooks and crannies. The queen aphids leave immediately, then they just disappear altogether after about 6-18 hours.

My garden is currently being swarmed by flying whitely. It is so bad that I can no longer sit out to enjoy the sun and garden. A couple of my plants have been attacked but I am treating these and my other healthy plants. It is the number that are flying around that is my problem. Does anyone have any suggestions? I think the May be coming from my neighbors plum tree which is in the opposite side of my fence.

I read that it's the azadirachtin in neem oil (only in cold pressed, not processed) that really works, but you have to treat early with a soil drench so the plant can take it up into the leaves and mess with the aphids' hormone receptors. The pure neem oil that I have solidifies at cold temperatures (basically below like 80, I think), and I'm wondering if it is possible to crumble up the solidified oil into pellets and add that to the soil in the spring before planting?

I would like to know where the scientific studies are that demonstrate catnip, mint, or other Lamiaceae repel aphids. I read this some years ago and I have tested it thoroughly in my own garden and it does not appear to work. Against control plants, I tested a)growing tomatoes in a bed with mint; b)hanging mint from the tomato plants; c) spraying the plants with mint oil. In no case were the number of aphids statistically different from the controls.

Wanted to share my experiences with these awful (kinda cute) insects. My strawberry tree was almost killed by aphids last year as I had noticed too late. When I did notice, the tree’s leaves were black and shiny, many fell off, new leaves were stunted, curled and infested. Then I started to spray with a neem mixture until I saw ladybug larvae all over the tree. They procreated and soon I had about a dozen or more ladybugs working on the tree. So ladybugs do come but in my case, too late. This year, since aphids mostly come in the spring, I was on alert. When the strawberry tree started to grow new leaves, I went to work right away. The key is that you MUST start early. Once they multiply to the point where your plant is shiny with their sticky sweet stuff, and is visibly suffering, it’s too late. You can do what you can but you have to wash your plant (with a bit of dawn in the water to remove sticky aphid stuff), get rid of the ants that will come to farm, and solve your secondary problem of fungus and mold from the sugars. So what I am doing this year is every other day (you must be on it!) I take a gallon sprayer, fill it with water, add a bit of dish soap and a bit of fungicide (to be exact, Zerotol HC) I spray ALL the new leaf areas. Even if I do not see aphids. I check the older leaves as well. So far the plant is growing very good and new leaves are coming in strong. When the leaves are mature, I will slow down the application but for now, I’m out there EVERY OTHER DAY— not more than two days. I’m doing this with all my roses and redbud tree, beans and Swiss chard. Also- Garlic Barrier works ok for aphids but it smells SO strong and the smell will stay in your gallon sprayer. You also must apply frequently. It ruins edible plant taste so don’t spray garlic on Swiss chard for example. Recommending the water, soap, fungicide route. Hope this helps some. Aphids may be easy to kill, but their strength is in numbers and rate of procreation!! Good luck in your war!

Monarchs are attracted to Milkwed for Pollen + as a place to lay the monarch caterpillar eggs; she lays the egg on the underside Milkweed leaf; the caterpillars hatch to eat Milkweek; Milkweed leaves are the best known food for Monarch Butterflies + young; I found moisture contributes to Aphids; if I grow Milkweed in a dry environment or garden; I get less aphids; Milkweed like a natural dry meadow type environment; back yard full sun; I read;

This is for Submitted by sdek on June 13, 2020 - 9:03pm Contrary to what you posted, Monarchs are NOT attracted to aphids on milkweed and seek aphids instead of the plant.. Milkweed is Monarch food source and seek the milkweed. The feet of the Monarch has plant sensors and when landing on a plant it knows if it's milkweed or not. The female lays it's eggs on the underside of the leaves, not on aphids. The feet have two forked "toes" that are like spikes and attach to anything, even your skin. It's hard to lift them off and care should be taken not to jerk them to release, the feet can be damaged. Wish you had more knowledge about Monarchs. I've photographed, gave lectures to Audubons, school kids in NE for over 20 years. I cane tell what a Monarch is doing in their life cycle from the mating, egg laying, hatching, development and feeding. All aspects, so I know aphids don't attract Monarchs. I've seen Milkweed loaded with aphids and if no cat's or eggs I cut and destroy the plant. I have fields full of milkweed in VT.

I've bought praying mantis eggs, but whenever they hatch the praying mantises disappear. We've had horrible winds, and it appears that they just blow away. I've gotten ladybugs, but they're gone now too. I've read that I should be misting my plants every morning, but I live in the desert and the leaves dry almost as quickly as I spray them. I found that one of my praying mantis egg cases hatched, but I see not a single praying mantis. I doubt that they've moved to greener pastures, because I have a buffet of aphids waiting for them. They're not eating them, they're just disappearing. I don't get it.

It doesn't work. They come back the next day. We've tried everything but commercial pesticides

Aphids are destroying my Dama de Noche (cestrum nocturnum). Last year it was so bad the leaves were coated in honeydew. The tree is 7 years old with a well established trunk so I cut all the green back in the fall and sprayed the trunk with neem oil and did a soil drench for the Winter dormant period. It's an indoor/balcony tree. During the Summer months I've tried catnip, dishsoap/cayenne pepper mix, commercial aphid sprays, Sevin dustand flour and alcohol/water mix. I've also planted various herbs next to the tree that are supposed to repel the aphids. I just looked at it today and there are aphids on it again. As soon as any new green leaves start to appear they attack and the leaves start to curl and fall off. Any suggestions of what else I can try? I can't even pinpoint where they are coming from since I have several other plants of different types and none of them are or have ever been affected by these insidious pests. I'm at the end of my rope and really don't want to lose this tree. Thanks.

50/50 isopropyl to distilled water spray 2 times daily.. diatamaceous earth the soil and mix it in.. let dry so it can work properly, before even planting anything mix it in to the soil.. start spraying with alcohol and water before getting any bugs in the first place..

They are all over a plant ( house plant) that I want to bring in for the Winter.. what shall I do.

help bringing in house plants...need control of aphids. last year they over whelmed our house help

I would welcome any great advice for my Hoya plants. I have a two plants and cannot get RID of the aphids. Neem, alcohol mix, water blasts...tried them all.

The above says that aphids are repelled by catnip, however, my catnip plant is infested with aphids.

I am growing 30 baby Jacaranda trees from seed. Unfortunately, I've noticed aphids on some of them and since they are still so fragile, I'm worried about spraying anything on them. Any suggestions other than applying soapy water with a Q-tip maybe?

Dandruff shampoo works great for scale on house plants! Thank you

Hi, I've read that the aphids that attack the cabbage family are not preferred by ladybugs. The aphids have a mustardy taste that ladybugs don't prefer? True? I haven't tried a soapy concoction... I just spray with water and try to wash the lot off.... a daily time consuming process.... Something different for cabbages? Thanks!

Don't try it! I just ruined two spray bottles that have worked fine up until now! Cayenne is not soluble. It plugs the tiny openings. :( I am so sad.

My peas started showing aphids, so I tried the soapy water. It seemed to work, but then the lady bugs showed up and I didn't know if that would hurt the lady bugs. Does it? I have a losing battle now with the little suckers (literally). Can I still use the peas for compost or do I need to dispose of them? Thanks for any help.

These tiny tiny little bugs are a little brownish to ..golden? Color. They jump when I open up my flower to my pumpkins their eating away at my pollen and the flower wilts and eventually falls off?? I've used neem oil and also Sevin but still there coming into my flowers then the flowers shuts and wilts then falls off?

I've been trying to control all these pests with neem (+ bicarbonate + a solvent) and it seems to do absolutely NOTHING. Today a rose bush was literally covered with aphids and I had sprayed it a few days ago. I gave up and sprayed insecticide on it (after removing the aphids manually). I don't know, neem just doesn't seem to work for me. One day the plants have rust and the next day they also have black spot....

this particular comment is for Cass who crushes the orange aphids on milkweeds. Butterflies are attracted to those aphids and lay there eggs there on purpose, Please do not crush them. They are harmless to the milkweed

Last year was the first year we grew plants to attract butterflies. When we returned from a long weekend, we came home to an aphids invasion. I about cried! I quickly read everything I could on the internet about it and ordered some ladybug online. A few days later, they arrived and went to work eating the alphids. Yes, I would buy them again. I. The meantime, I washed the leaves a couple times a day, used cayenne pepper, and tried to pick a thousand of them off. This year, we planted onions, garlic, rosemary, basil, and a few other plants around my butterfly plants to hopefully, keep the alphids away. We shall see!!!

Hi, I've heard that yellow ribbon hung on the tree attracts ladybugs. They can help us with aphid. Is anyone use it?

I had aphids on my lettuce and kale, so treated it with soapy water spray. Since doing this my lettuce and kale have become bitter. Any relationship between that and the soapy water?

How much LIME do you put in the quart of water ??

I have sprinkled flour on my plants because I read that it constipated the aphids. It kept them away for a while. I live in Texas and we have bugs so it's a constant battle but I rotate between soapy water, flour, and neem oil. It seems like it takes a full arsenal to keep them at bay.

I raise monarchs butterflies that need milkweed for their larva. The yellow aphids cover the milkweed so badly that the stems look like tiny ears of corn! I smash them with my hands but would love to know a way to discourage or kill them that will not hurt my butterflies. Please help!

I recently read that crushed eggshells at the base of rose bushes will keep aphids away. Any truth in this?

To MELBA STREIFF, how much lime do you put in the quart of water ??

My husband, being a biodynamic ag consultant, uses calcium spray. A little lime or coral calcium in a quart of water, settle out and then use the clear water part to spray on. Works within seconds. Bugs leave, plant is healthier.

I had never had aphids before now on a Spirea ornamental plant. Very small and green. I tried blasting, picking, shaking and ultimately spraying with a neem oil spray. They just kept coming back doubled and tripled. I had just purchased this plant so I took it back to the store. My ? Is should I treat the soil somehow before planting a Barberry-Orange Rocket plant? Or is it okay to go ahead and plant? It’s also suppose to frost tonight which is crazy for my zone-SW Missouri.

I used water with white Vinegar and wipe down the leaves. Solve my problem

I use a mix of Peppermint Castille soap and water. The soap is oily and suffocates the aphids

Using a strip of sellotape you can quite easily catch these pests by touching them with the sticky side of the tape. Easy for the tops and underside of leafs. Has worked well on my indoor lemon tree. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to remove them.

I used Dawn dish soap and icy cold water They died within seconds

I have hops growing in my yard that are destroyed by aphids every year. I've tried the insecticidal soaps nothing seems to work. Is there something I can do in the spring before the plants starts to grow. My black and red currants bushes next to the hops are also affected. Help

Brake-Cleaner from Autozone gets rid of them the fastest. But keep in mind, you must consider how important you consider the plant that you find them on. Your welcome!

You can also use local cow urine which is again benificial in controling aphid attack. For this purpose add 1:6 ratio of cow urine to water. Tested and easiest methord in controling aphids.

I tried to discover why aphids when I washed them off of my plants inside or outside I continued to get a worse infestation quite quickly, so I used a piece of scotch tape and picked some aphids of my plant where they were firmly stuck , I put them where I could keep an eye on them over a black background and with a magnifier was astounded to see they lived for up to 3 or 4 days, and worse than that several of the more mature ones spit out more aphids , shocked I was so I no longer blast them of , I prefer just to remove them physically if i can and squish them eliminating the possibility of recreation , I would sure like to know if any one else has discovered this, try it your self, you may be very surprised at the results.

for the soap mixture, what exactly do you mean by "do not dilute before spraying on plants"?

I use banana peels. Cut them into long strips and drape them over the center of collards, cabbage etc. Also tie them around the base of plants. My sister ties them below favorite rose blooms to keep them off. IT DOESN'T WORK to blend up the peel (tried it) eat your 'nana's and use the peels in the garden. (Oregon)

They're tiny, golden colored, and they are perfectly fitted inside each of the buds on my pansies. I want to either leave them be if they're good or dispose of them if theyre bad. Thanks

We've got some indoor pepper plants that get plagued by aphids all the time and pretty much nothing seems to work. However, i've also got a computer for which I decided to buy a small USB vacuum cleaner, so I decided to give it a try on my plants. With a small brush attachment you can clean the leaves and in the corners of branches where aphids like to hide. It's not a quick fix by anymeans, and it certainly isn't a 5 mintue job, but it definitely helps to see just how many of the little monsters you are getting before you watch them get washed down the drain. No doubt if you have a working insecticide then a little plant-cleaning beforehand can do wonders in destroying an infestation.

For the past 4 years I have been battling aphids on my apple tree. There are black aphids and wooly apple aphids I have been using neem oil and spot treating with rubbing alcohol. I have not been successful controlling them. The tree is covered with moss and ferns (the look is beautiful) while talking to my gardener about this he told me that I need to remove the moss, as the bugs are probably hiding in it. So my question is — should I remove the moss? What is the best method? These bugs are effecting my fruit crop and I would like to get more apples Any suggestions are welcome

I first noticed these little black pests that are about two millimeters long when my rose leaves began turning yellow and falling of. I treated my rose for fungus at first but that only got rid of the yellow leaves for a week or two. Now, my plant is experiencing stunted growth and some leaves are turning brown at the tips despite a regular watering regimen. I also noticed that these little black aphids are more prevalent. Should I try diatomaceous earth since there are no new blooms?? Are should I stick to the soapy water method??

Aphids are polyphagus, majorly destructive to most of the kingdom Plantae in the tropical and mid equatoral zone in East Africa.

I was unexpectedly away several weeks this summer, and upon return my kale and broccoli and even rutabaga (planted near the kale) have massive globs of gray aphids at base of leaf stems and lots of gray things on the leaves. I thought it was eggs of the cabbage worm, but have seen only a few worms and worm droppings. Now I believe it is aphids. I have pulled out all plants - should I burn them? Or just put out in woods far from my garden? Also I see tons of them in the soil around where the plants were. Will they overwinter? If so, what can I do now? Dust with diatomaceous earth?

They are everywhere these trees are huge, how do we get rid of them.

I need help getting rid of a pest on my miniature rose house plant. I'm not sure if they are aphids. They look like miniature flies. They are more brown/black and fly around like crazy. I don't really see any bugs on the leaves. Are these still aphids and how should I get rid of them?

2 summers in a row now we have had aphids attack our garden, taking out the zucchini and squash first. Then travels to the tomatoes and lastly it will get the cucumbers. We believe it is from aphids and need to find a way to control them better. We mainly have used 7 dust. It helps to a little but needs to be applied a lot and gets expensive. We are purchasing better seeds as well and know that the soil is good as other parts of the garden grow extremely well.

Hi We have a very big tree right next to our house. It is full of Aphids. We cannot sit outside because everything is sticky and honeydew falls on us. Last year we bought a 1000 ladybugs and released them into the tree. But the problem still persists. What can we do? Thank you.

The suggestion "Garlic and chives repel aphids when planted near lettuce, peas, and rose bushes" is a bit counterproductive when it come to peas. If you want to keep aphids away from your peas, I'd suggest another method than planting garlic or chives nearby. While it might work well for roses and lettuce, peas do NOT like to be near anything in the allium family (onions, garlic, chives) and neither does well when planted near the other. Beans are also unhappy near alliums. (I learned this the hard way.)

I can see the aphid's damage to the leaves, but do not find the aphids. Should I treat for aphids? Thank you for any help.

Hello! I'm new to gardening and just started growing cucumbers 5 weeks ago. I have aphids on my plant and have been trying to take care of it for a week now. It seems to be working, but they're still there. I have PLENTY of catnip in my junk drawer... can I just sprinkle that on the plant and soil to deter the aphids?

I live in FL and wonder if the practice of sterilizing the soil at the end of my growing season by covering the garden with black plastic and letting the sun bake it would help alleviate pest problems, like aphids. What are your thoughts?

Recently I’ve tried my luck at having a wonderful zen patio that includes a potted umbrella tree and a fiddle leaf fig... about a week ago I discovered little pods of aphids on the leaves of both plants and my heart sank... I don’t posess what one would call a “green thumb” but I’ve been doing really well and seeing these tiny green demons colonizing my plants is making me furious. I just tried a mild Lavender dish soap spray so hoping that helps. Any other tips for the umbrella tree and fiddle leaf?!?

I have noticed all around these little-winged bugs that will sit on my plant leaves and suck the sap out of them. This has attracted a TON of ants and its getting really annoying. These bugs don't form clusters and will be on the occasional leaf. It had not become a bad infestation yet. No matter how many I squash or spray away they seem to always come back. I'm not entirely sure of these are aphids because they have winds and will come back even if I kill them all.

I have tiny white bugs on the stems of my strawberry plans in the PNW. They are very tiny but have a black spot or two, maybe eyes? Would these be aphids? Thanks!

We have a ton of aphids nesting in the buds of our Shasta daisies. A bunch of ladybugs have taken up residency as well to eat the aphids, but there are so many that I fear our ladybugs aren’t going to be the full solution. Are any of these mixes (dish soap/water/cayenne) going to harm the ladybugs as well? I don’t want to hurt them if I can help it.

Acticle states use catnip to repel aphids, but my problem my catnip patch is what has been invaded badly.....

I have been struggling with aphids in my kitchen primarily for a long time. Brought in on some flowers they seem to be around my windows. I have no house plants so they seem to be living independent from that. I've tried the soap and water thing but to no avail. They are many in number and are now moving to other windows in my home. Help!

Hi I have a very large tree in my back garden and it is full of aphids , never hard this before you can't sit outside without them crawling all over you how can I get rid of them please help me they are driving me mad , they are all over the paving and my outdoor setting they are everywhere help

I'm a new gardener and am struggling to get rid of the aphids. My kale and other leafy green veggies have had a very bad infestation. Do I need to throw away the soil? Also, though I have treated the kale, it's no longer really growing even though it's still green and edible. Do I need to get rid of the affected plants if their growth is stunted?

or it will clog up everything in your sprayer...been there, cussed that!

YES, just save your banana peels, cut them into a few pieces, and place the peels, outside peel side UP, beneath your roses or any other plants that get aphids. The outside banana peel gives off some kind of a gas that will make your aphids get lost. I have used this for a few years and now I never have aphid troubles. And the tree next door to us is an aphid nursery. So we are really lucky with this banana trick. No pesticides, sprays or anything else needed. But you need to eat your bananas regularly.

Do aphids start multiplying in the soil? Is it best to change the soil that the plants attacked by aphids, are growing in, to successfully get rid of them ?

The best way to control aphids is to squash them between your thumb and forefinger. Start with the heaviest concentration of the lil buggers and squish away! Wash their nasty guts and carcasses off leaves when you're done. Be careful not to tear leaves. I have a moderate sized garden so I can manage most of it but this method might not work for larger or commercial size gardens unless you have help. It helps if while you're insecticiding them you taunt them by saying, "you're dead now!" or, "you're all going to die!" Get creative with it! Happy squashing!!

I have these pests on a Carolina reaper plant. I believe it stunted the growth of the fruit. The peppers were very small, smaller than normal and they have already turned red. Typically they grow green to full size then mature to red. Anyways, curious to know if this type of pest infection is dangerous to the actual fruit. I washed the fruit (pepper) off but unsure if it is safe to consume.

I have been told that my house is infested with insects and bugs. I have been very sick for months. At first I was secreting a sugary substance from my skin in different areas. I have undergone several different stages. I can't handle this anymore. I have tons of urine and blood tests proving that I am not on drugs. This aphids match exactly what I am going through. I have had the very tiny black ones come out in my urine. This is not a joke, and I truly need your help.

I have used Johnson’s baby shampoo to control insects in my garden. I mix 2 tbs shampoo to 1 quart warm water and spray infested area, it kills the aphids and keeps them away for weeks, it is the cheapest solution I have ever made and works well.

I noticed what I believe to be aphids on a couple of tomato plants that I re potted and brought in from outside when the temps got cold. I did a spray of water, dishsoap and cayenne on them, but then I looked at my other plants and a couple seem to have the bugs too. I'm assuming they spread to those because of the tomatoes. So I decided to spray ALL of my plants with that same solution. Now I am wondering if perhaps I did a bad thing by spraying the plants that I didn't notice any bugs on. I guess my question is...does that solution hurt other plants or is it pretty safe to not only get rid of the bugs, but also as a precaution to keep them from crossing over into the others? Thank you.

Hi I have been facing this flower pests problem for quite some time.. i have spotted small white insects on the leaves of the plant and these ones dont fly. They slowly retard the growth of the plant and eventually flowers either stop blooming and rot away or they stop forming all together. I cam send the photos . Please help

At the start of the growing season I noticed the leaves of my peppers and eggplants were being eaten. I also spotted several ladybugs. Later, when the beans and corn came up I saw mole holes. After a good rainstorm, all was well, no holes in the leaves. Then, on the sunflowers the ants appeared. Hole reappeared, this time on the beans. Everytime I approach the beans or sunflowers I am attacked by ants. I started with a nighttime hard spray of water on every leaf, under and over. This morning I noticed less ants, so I was able to get close enough to the sunflowers to see some yellow spots on the back. I put out some borax ant bait traps at the bottom of the sunflowers and the row of effected beans. Got some neem oil, but the beans are now in blossom. Any suggestions? I can't weed or pick anything if I am being attacked by ants. They bite aggressively!

H202 works well. Also wipe aphids with wet paper towel, spray top & bottom of leaves. Keep close watch & repeat as necessary. Can't post link but quick search will turn up how-to.

When you plant marigolds among the roses you will not have aphids! It is as simple as that!

I'm confused about the concept of bait plants. I have seen black aphids in my front yard and my back yard. They seem to love lamb's quarter, which grows as a common weed here. Am I supposed to leave the bait plants in place and treat them regularly so I know where the pests will go and can kill them? Or what?

A friend gave me a couple of plants and I started to see aphids so I decided to move one of the plants to another location, away from my other plants. I sprayed the plant leaves and stems with soapy water. I thought maybe the aphids could be in the soil so when I removed the plant I also investigated the soil. I was surprised at the number of aphids that were living in the roots of the plant. I now periodically flush my plants with the soapy water. I'm not a dedicated gardener so I still find aphids on occasion so I'm not sure how this is working but I think any treatment should take the roots into account.

Planting Marigolds will take care of aphids. We have a 10 x 16 "Rose Garden" that has approximately 8 - 10 plants that keep them at bay. We plant them at each corner and one on each side. Sometimes I place a few among the plants to make sure they are protected. And.... Geraniums in containers at each door (larger spaces, i.e. garage door and slider) I may have additional pots for wider openings. Since we started this we have had no (I repeat NO flies in the house!!! My husband - a biologist - thinks it is the leaves and not the blooms. Sometimes the garage door is open for hours. We do not use any harmful chemicals on the lawn and garden so our beautiful little Maltese has the run of the yard!

I'm in Johannesburg, South Africa. What can I use on these trees ?

Over the last couple years, I've had aphids wipe out these flourishing crops. Once they get started, there is no stopping them. Insecticidal soap, neem oil, hand picking, shop vacuum and blowing them off with the hose only delays the inevitable. I prune off the most invested leaves but I cannot stop them. By mid-season I have to pull the plants. I will try flour dusting and adding alcohol to the soap solution but I'm skeptical. Is there some way to stop them before they get started?

The soapy mixture with hot sauce plus some salad oil (spray adheres to plants) also works not only for aphid, but as a deer repellant. North Carolina US

For the first time, in early January I found black aphids all over a small area of garlic. I fought with insecticidal soap and eventually that plus snow seemed to stop them. But they have now moved to a larger bed and are covering the garlic there. Insecticidal soap hasn't touched them there. I've switched to Neem oil but it doesn't seem to be slowing them down. I'm thinking of adding alcohol to the Neem and water to try that but am running out of options. Any other thoughts?

I have a variety of plants on my bay window, Gobble Guts, Lilly Looks and a few others I have forgotten their names. Most have been in the bay window for four years now. Recently I had noticed a green, very small but lively bug on my plants. The stems and leaves are covered in them. Are they aphids??? If so what can I do about them. If not aphids any idea as to what they could be and how to get rid of them would be much appreciated as I really don't want to loose any of my plants on my bay window. Thank you.

use merit or bayer tree & shrub. aphids gone.

have several milkweed plants which are covered in yellow aphids. I have about 20 newly hatched catapillars, i have tried lady bugs and neem oil, which kills the catapillars. i have cut off all the growth with infestation. i have moved the little baby catapillars to uninfested flowers. any suggestions as to getting rid of the aphids and keeping the catapillars alive?

I had a lot of trouble with aphids on my chilli plants. Washing with soap gave only temporary relief. Likewise using bug spray. I now patrol the plants twice a day and gently pick off any aphids using a length of sticky tape. This gently removes the insects without damaging the plants.

I am so frustrated with these yellow aphids on my Hoya plant that I have for more then 10 years. I have tried the soapy solution and the blast of cold water and insectisidial soap and also cut some of the plant of, nothing is working. I still am getting a few on the plant and don't want to bring it inside the house. I need help. Can I soak the entire plant in a trash can filled with soapy water or what else can I do?

I have a sticky substance on my cherry tomatoes after i have picked them. What is this?

Looked at a turned red/brown grape vine leave with a magnifier, I was shocked to see a colloney of a tiny crawling insects moving around. Some are bright red and some are blackish with many leggs on each side. what can I do to treat them.

I have a 10' X 20' garden. This year my fava beans, green beans, cucumbers and kale were completely infested with aphids. I have disposed of the plants and read comments on how to get rid of them in the soil. However, do you just spray the Neem oil or pyrethrin on top of the soil in the entire garden? Do you have to "scratch it in"? When should I spray it? I do not want to have the same problem next year.

I'm in charge of my neighbors flowers and plants while he's away until October 1st. Something is eating his Penta's. I have found a very tiny black beetle (very shiney, round not oval) and tons and tons of what appear to be Florida Carpenter Ants - front half red, back half black. What ever it is, or they are, they are completely decimating the Penta's. I have sprayed twice with an organic spray from Home Depot and it's done nothing. I would attack them with chemicals but I DO NOT want to hurt the bees and the butterflies. What on earth can I do to save these Penta's?

I want to get ride of aphids in my garden

My kale and broccoli have aphids extremely bad I am going to pull the plants but want to know what I should do too the soil around them. It just rained and lots of them dropped off the soil is gray now. Should I treat it with soapy water? Will that help can I replant in that area right away? Thank you for your advice.

I usually us "Seven-5" and dust it lightly on most of my plants when I see the leaves being bothered ... Will Seven-5 take care of my green pepper plants?

My lime leaves are curling, brown stuff at the undersides of the leaves, a lot of ants on some leaves. Are these aphids?

My tomatoes are doing well,but am seeing the leaves curling upwards. Are these aphids?

In the one home made bug spray, you listed 2 parts alchohol to 5 parts water then you switch from parts to 1 Tbsp. dish soap and didn't give an over all measurement. I gave this recip to my dad who place it in a approximately 1 litre. He sprayed it on his plants and they wilted and some died completely. When we rinsed the wilted ones to try to save them the water running off was sudsy, and a white layer on the soil. You might want to change the recipe to give the soap measurement in parts or the whole recipe in measurements.

This summer, for the first time aphids on my viburnum. Yes, the new growth. My neighbor had asked for advice about his bushes then I checked mine. I pruned a lot of the new stems out and used hard spray. I'm going to try the recipes above. I have confidence in them and they won't hurt anyone else. Howis the nasturtium thing supposed to work??? The 2nd year I had them in my old yard they were black with aphids so the leaves weren't very appetizing to eat. Hmmm... the aphids are probably rich in protein! They showed up the next yr. so I don't grow 'em.

I have a tree in my yard that is covered in wee aphids, clumped in every wad of new/shriveled leaf growth. I also have ladybug eggs all over the same tree, and quite a few ladybugs running around eating the aphids and mating. My concern is that the ratio of aphid to ladybug is at least quadruple, and even though each ladybug can eat up to 50 aphids a day, my tree and surrounding plants may die well before the ladybugs can ramp up. Should I be patient and wait for the ladybugs to do their thing? If I treat with the above, will it kill off the ladybugs as well?

I've never had these before and they are everywhere. Please help before I lose all my flowers. Thank you.

I started plants from seed, set them outside to get them hardened only 30 mins 1st day couple hrs 2nd day inside for a day, out couple hrs 4th day, and I find afids all over my kale. How did I get them in that length of time? KAS

Ever year they get invaded by whiteflies and aphids. What can I do to stop the invasion? What is best way to get rid of them?

Shouldn't Spider Be Able To Kill Aphids Since The Aphids Are Bugs Aren't They?

I have few tomato plants in my garden and when the plants are bit shaken very tiny white insects fly out of the lower part of the leaves. How do I get rid of those ? What is the normal organic pesticide available in India for the flowering plants ?

Does anyone know if they get on alocasia "frydek"? I think that's what is on mine but I'm not sure

I found that the ants were actually bringing the aphids to my cucumber plants. My Solution - I grabbed a bottle of cinnamon from my cabinet and shook the bottle aroung the base. In a couple of days - no more ants and no more aphids. It tool about 2 weeks for the cucmbers to regain consiousness and start growing again.

Hi there , I got this hibiscus plant and couple days after I got it I notice the the leafs where turning yellow and falling and it was becoming more and more , I check and there was little white bugs so I knew it must be because of them, I prayed my plant with mixture of soap cayanne garlic and citrus. but it seems to get worse my plant barely has any leafs left .. I worry that its gonna dye . How to I save it

Hi, I have a baby apple tree that has ants crawling all over the leaves and branches I haven't noticed any aphids yet but would like to prevent them and get rid of the ants can anyone suggest a good spray that won't harm my tree or the fruit it will eventually produced. I am based in the UK and a novice gardner

when possible, repot the plant and throw away the dirt. Larvae liv on top of the dirt and breed. All the above help the plant but can be reinvested from the dirt!

Firstly, I'm dating this post because I dislike that I have no clue how old the existing conversation in here is. - June 14th 2015 - Garden & Zone: Containers on a 2nd floor deck, in zone 5b (Peterborough, Ontario, Canada) Plants: red & green pepper (in containers), hanging strawberry plant, strawberry mint plant (tastes like strawberry mint, does not produce berries haha), lemongrass, ivy, lobelia, fuschia hybrid, calibrachoa hybrid & green dracena and a bleeding heart plant that I pray is going to survive in a container over winter (my fave plant ever, let's see if apartment life will support bleeding heart 'captivity')! PROBLEM: green aphids found on my pepper plants this morning, along with what I had THOUGHT are maybe aphid larve (they are long and skinny white worm looking species, MAYBE a millimeter or two in length), but I have found other information that indicates they MIGHT be "aphid midge (Aphidoletes aphidimyza) larvae" which I read actually controls aphids. So, few things I want to inquire about between my problem and things noted within this thread. First, does the diatomaceous earth help control the aphids? Or just the ants? Is this just an overall generally good thing to sprinkle at the base of plants to protect from certain infestations of enemy insects? I have some bought in the gardening section (to clear up I'm not using the pool formula :D )a few years back...does age of this product affect efficacy? Next, I read a suggestion to just hose off the aphids from the plants regularly with cool water (luckily I recently bought a hose and the attachments to use it with my kitchen sink...again, 2nd floor apartment), so that is what I had done this morning. I have a funny feeling that because I am not blessed with life's solutions being the simplest ones, that those little buggers (pardon the bun) will be returning and forcing me to attempt solution #2! So taking into consideration I have a passing by dog who uses the deck to gain access to the back yard, some robins who have a nest on our deck using it for 2 rounds of offspring every summer, a cat who is indoors but sits at the screened door which my peppers are RIGHT beside the door, here are the solutions I will be looking at. Firstly, I will be adding a couple containers of nasturtium as my first line of defense, then the options are as follows; 1. mixture of soap and water 2. mixture of soap and water and alcohol 3. mixture of soap and water and cayanne 4. 'organic' pesticide 5. giving up ;) (I won't likely make this choice....I LOVE PEPPERS) So, my curiosities are this; if I use the DE, what can I expect it will do for current problem? or what can I expect it will do in general? did I just spray off aphid larvae or the aphid midge larvae which would have been there to take those aphid down? will the nasturtium survive the infestation of the aphids? or will I have a flower that looks like it went to war with the aphids and the aphids will win? do I need to attempt control of the aphids on the nasturtium or just let the flower do it's job attracting the little buggers as if it's the crack dealer and the aphids are the crack heads? (haha...sorry if you don't find that funny...I have a sick sense of humour) are there other flowers or plants one would suggest placing beside the peppers to help with insect control (be it for aphids or any other common invasive insect that might like my peppers as much as I do)? with the plants and flowers I have listed that I currently have, are any of them at high risk more than others for the aphid attack (I assume aphids will attack any plant equally...little 'buggers' are not plant prejudice!?!?!) or any other insects infestation? Remember, I am on a 2nd floor deck in zone 5b (in Ontario) and am determined I am eating peppers that I have harvested myself ;)

Hey all, I have started and indoor Hydroponic garden with about three pepper plants, 2 tomato plants, and 2 basil plants. I have had them for about 4 months with out any bugs or any issues. Today while adjusting some of the plants, I have noticed a ton of aphids (on all of them other than the basil). I sprayed them with a combination of 2 parts alcohol and 5 parts water and added garlic as well. Are there any other steps I can take to enure the safety of my plants. Insects are not an option due to the fact this is an indoor set up.. Thank you all.

I heard that planting Marigolds is a good defense for aphids, but do not remember why. I think they attract a beneficial insect.

Hey, What about pumpkins? I heard they are delicate and you have to be careful of what you put on them. So what can I use for pumpkins?

I have a hibicus tree that i have treated for aphid but they keep coming back...I have used water and dishwashing soap and sevin and horticultural oil at different of course and got rid of them 2 times so they must be in the soil so what can i do to kill the ones in the soil? this is a house plant...I have spent more time and energy on this plant than any other plant in my life......this has been going on since may...

I just found what looks like a green aphid. I had no experience with green ones before. I have a cutting from a black raspberry plant that is infested. I didn't notice any insects when I brought it in. This is in my "green room" where I'm propagating plants so it could be a disaster! I have lots of succulent cuttings taking root in there. I will try the NEEM oil I have along with the soap/alcohol/water/cayenne solution. I will paint or spray all my plants, just to be sure. I tried a soap/vinegar/epsom salt solution for weed control and it worked very well, so I'm sure this will work just as well. Thank you for everyone who posted!

I have two chilli plants kept on a window sill..and I recently noticed some of their leaves were sticky and started to curl inward. I noticed on the underside some small white spots of things that moved. I've made and tried the rubbing alcohol+water+soap formula right now..How often should I be spraying it on the leaves? Do i leave it to dry or do i have to wash out the liquid on the leaves aftwr a while? And do I spray on both sides?

Hello:) my organic veggies (yellow+green squash), peppers,tomatoes, pumpkins, watermelon+Marigolds are in 1 area I am asking about. I hav 1 pumpkin w black dust on part of the skin. So far 1/2 of it+a few leaves turning yellow. We use our llama-doo+they all grow like magic!I can look into which pest is causing said issue. My ? Is I have many happy Lil frogs working on the leaves to eat pests:). So I won't use anything that may harm frogs, bees, butterflies or birds and lady bugs etc! Won't these sprays burn them?:(. We have a large wildlife habitat+ponds. With many frogs, turtles, ducks, geese and wildlife. Plus chickens in same zone as this raised bed that's growing like magic! We have Ants around but do our best to just vinegar and rinse the ones that enter the home or bother pets. Cinnamon isn't safe for pets, nor are onions and garlic. I have tons of peppermint with some being 5 feet away. We have many fruit orchards+vines. Iset up frog habitat in that plot+they adore being there. I have Peppermint Castile Soap but won't it burn my eco pal's? The BlackBerry vines have grown and migrated within 3 feet of the plot. Ahh:)," its like Jack's Magic Stalks from the llama-doo! Strawberries, Blueberry bush, Figs, Lemons, Oranges, Apples, Cherries, Grapes, Pears,Loquat+more are all about our place. We have many Weeping Willows are there any solutions from any of these that may help my possible Flea Beetle and or Mites or whatever? I will do the work as long as it won't hurt:) THANK U!:)

Interesting mentioning nasturtiums because they are a magnet for aphids. But maybe the intention is if you have plants that you are protecting you'd plant nasturtiums to attract them away from your crops?? Sort of like a bait plant is in vineyards. Just curious.

Ladybugs

I'm pretty sure I have a aphids s on my flowers. I've read a lot of information for example spaying with soap water. if possible I would like to know if this will kill the aphids??my plants seem to be dying from the bottom also. So are they in the root of the plants. I'm going to try the soap water.I've never had to deal with this before and I don't want to use pesticides. I would appreciate any help you might suggest,would any type of dish soap work?

Funny you mention nasturtiums as helping - that is the only plant I have found black aphids on in my container garden! Have to try one of the sprays suggested.

I notice that no one is mentioning bean plants. I have black eyed peas and green beans, The ants are farming aphids harder than I am gardening! Every day I can check the peas and beans, spray with the onion/garlic/pepper/soap spray. Recipe is from organic gardening dot com. Every day they are back! I can't keep up with the activity! My pods will be almost completely covered with aphids and ants, running down the vines and under the leaves! I can't stand the ants! I already spoke with the local ag extension agent, who said spraying daily would work. However, in California we face watering restrictions at the moment, 2 times a week for watering. The ants/aphids have resisted it all. They are now spreading to some of the melons and cucumber in my garden, and possibly saw signs this morning on one of the squash. I am about to just throw up my hands and give up, let them eat the dang beans and peas. as long as they leave my heirloom tomatoes be!

Plant garlic near whatever vegetables or plants are being attacked by aphids. I'm sure there are some plants that won't like being near garlic, so please look into this first. I found this tip in an old gardening book dating from the 1930's. My only experience of using it was on plum trees. Had a really bad infestation, planted 3 bulbs around each tree. The theory is that something the garlic releases into the soil is then taken up by surrounding plants. This renders the aphids infertile. So, garlic doesn't kill aphids but it does stop them reproducing. Worked for me and my plum trees.

I have two mature Chinese elms that are covered in aphids. The cars underneath are covered in aphid yuk. Because they are so tall spraying the leaves isn't an option. I have beneficial bugs in my garden but it's too much for the trees. I prefer organic but it's getting worse. Is there anything I can do in the soil around the tree to stop this

Sick Euonymus with rolled leaves. My 28 year old and previously very healthy euonymus bush has developed extremely rolled leaves on much of the new growth, though part of the bush has normal new growth. The side edges of almost every leaf are rolled toward the top surface of the leaf, and the leaves are stunted and pale green. On close examination with a magnifying glass, I can see a few VERY TINY white specks that move. To me, they look like mites or perhaps tiny aphids. There does not appear to be webbing or honeydew. What can I do to save my burning bush? And to keep it from spreading to the other euonymus 10 feet away? Thanks! Kim Missoula, Montana

My 28 year old and previously very healthy euonymus bush has developed extremely rolled leaves on much of the new growth, though part of the bush has normal new growth. The side edges of almost every leaf are rolled toward the top surface of the leaf, and the leaves are stunted and pale green. On close examination with a magnifying glass, I can see a few VERY TINY white specks that move. To me, they look like mites or perhaps tiny aphids. There does not appear to be webbing or honeydew. What can I do to save my burning bush? And to keep it from spreading to the other euonymus 10 feet away? Thanks! Kim Missoula, Montana

I just noticed that where weeds, grass and lupine grow in the field near my garden, that every lupine plant are covered with aphids. I am worried that they might spread to my garden plants. Should I pull out the infected lupine nearest my garden and burn the plants? There are too many plants in the field that are infected to spray them.

I started my tomatoes in little coffee kurig containers, when I transplanted them there were these tiny white bugs loads of them in the soil I have no clue what they are can any one help and give a suggestion on how to get rid of these things what ever they are pleaseee!!!! Thanks,joy.

I am starting to have odd shaped holes in the leaves of my mustard greens which are growing quite nicely otherwise. When I looked at the underside of the leaves I found a couple of lady beetles. If I use Organicide (from Home Depot) on them will it hurt the lady beetles? I have lettuce and broccoli planted also and I don't want the aphids or whatever other pests are attracting them to get out of control. The active ingredient in Organicide appears to be sesame seed oil.

i discovered some very tiny brown bugs on my indoor ponytail plant. at first i thought it was flecks of loose dirt... when i used a jewelry loop i discovered bugs. they look like tiny brown moths that jump more than fly. they congrigated where new shoots sprout. i used the dish soap and water spray but it didnt make a difference. are these aphids or another pest?

I planted some romaine lettuce transplants in my garden box and they are doing very well but I have noticed some light colored pests recently … probably aphids. I got a sprayer and mixed a very light mixture of white vinegar in water. I sprayed the underside of each plant and it seems to have made a difference. I will monitor them everyday to see if the vinegar water bothers the growth of the lettuce but so far I'm happy with less aphids.

The Aphids are killing my garden! I have a square foot garden that is completly full however all of a sudden the Aphids are destroying my broccoli crop and lettuce. I dont need them hurting any thing else. We live in South Carolina where the weather has been cool one week and hot the next. I have tried the cool water and spray with Ivory soap. Does any one have ideas that they know works well for this area?

For the first time last summer our laburnum tree was infested with aphids. Is this likely to happen again this summer?

Hi, iv just started a garden and im growing sunflowers. Iv noticed the plants leaves were getting eaten and my plants are starting to die.iv tried spraying water on it with the hose and it helped some but only a little. I want to start growing herbs but I dont want the same thing to happen. Iv found two small caterpillars. Is there a spray I can get that kills bugs but is plant-safe? Preferably at home depot.

Aphid and Mite problem! I just purchased about 1500 lady bugs. Maybe they helped a little but there are only a few left after a week or two. They were in a green house where did they go? There is also a mite problem on my strawberries. My set up is a hydro ponic ebb and flow system in my green house in NJ. We are growing about 50 strawberries, dozen tomatoes, A few Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, watermelon, cucumber, and basil. What works is looking through each plant and cleaning each leaf with my hands and squeezing the aphids or breaking off the leaves that infest. I am constantly killing them but they are still there. The mites make a web across the leaves of the strawberries. I clean the web off with a spray bottle and my hands. There still are leaves that have turned brown but they have not killed my plants. I was thinking about calling the lady bug people back and telling them the bugs died too quickly and to send more. My fear is that they eat the new flowers for strawberries and tomatoes. Therefore, the plants will never bear fruit because they are working against me. Its a hobby but I also wanted to see something out of my efforts. The entire system that I build cost about 3500 dollars. Overall my light bill for two 600 watt grow lights costs about 170 per month. My next step is to look into insecticidal soap. What is your opinion?

Hi yes I'm curious, I have an above ground garden in my apartments the floor is cement then I used bricks and wood pallets to make it. I've finally started to yield my chiles and after my first harvest another round of buds came out...and that's when the infestation started. First ants then black tiny little bugs I'm assuming are the aphids. I've done everything but nothing seems to be working I tried an insecticide I tried cold water showers I tried the alcohol water soap solution and nada and it's making my plants growth stunt. Helllppppp

Also try 1% Ceylon Cinnamon Leaf Oil mixed with 99% water, sprayed on the plant with a pump sprayer (Home Depot $9.99). However you should first wash your plants with the hose set at firm pressure to wash away as much of the mold (created as a result of aphid honey dew droppings) and aphids as possible. Then spray the whole plant and a little Cinnamon Oil at the base of the plants to stop the ants that also come to eat the honey dew created by aphids. Ceylon Cinnamon Oil is a powerful mold killer and safe to eat. But dilute, otherwise it will burn the plant leaves.

I was managing aphids until recent heavy rain followed by high heat. I pulled all my infested plants carefully ( kale & tomatoes) , but the aphids are ALL OVER the soil. How to rid them there? I live in Colorado, 6100 ft., zone 5. I would prefer an organic solution. Thank You!

The photo is misleading as most aphids you will encounter will not have wings. Also, most aphid species DO discriminate between plant species (well plant Families anyway), and most will NOT go from plant to plant. Most often only the flying stage of the insect will go to another plant. Cabbage aphids for instance WILL NOT infect roses. There are a few species that are indiscriminate too, so you should know your insects.

A botanist who was our TV weatherman, Harry Volkman, in OKC some 50 years ago gave us gardening tips when he did the weather show. He said: "To keep the pests, such as aphids, off your tomato plants all you have to do is break a large branch down close to the ground. DO NOT BREAK IT OFF, just break it and let it hang and stay there. The plant will then emit a chemical that the pests such as aphids do not like and will stay away from your tomato plants."

My tomato is starting to get aphids. I have used some plant bug sprays, but not heavily because a ladybug has laid her eggs on my plant. Is there anything else I could use to get rid of the bugs?

That's unfortunate... Your treatment of aphids is one of the recommendations, but the wilt is not necessarily a result. The wilt pathogen is seed and soil borne; it might reside in the soil. (There are a couple of kids of wilt, btw). Once a plant "catches" the wilt, it is difficult to recover from it. You can try to grow tomatoes this year. Rotate them: plant them in another spot or in new soil, if you use a pot. In each case, amend the soil with healthy compost. And buy resistant cultivars; the plant tags will indicate this, or ask the nursery attendant. We hope this helps.

Last year, 2012, my tomatoes suffered a bad infestation of aphids. I washed them many, many, many times gently with the hose. Didn't work...then all the plants had bacterial wilt....couldn't get that stopped and then the high heat! I am wondering if washing them so many times and all the splashing at the bottom caused the wilt. I had cut the leaves off at the bottom up at least 12" but still were infected. Any ideas?? I also am wondering if I should plant tomatoes in that garden again...I don't have many options to rotate. Hope this year is better. Thanks

They were probably in the tree long befroe you built your tree house. Sounds like you need a strong ant and roach killer. We had a tree house growing up and had to put up with wasp's nest and everything else that crawled and flew. My brother got bit by a spider, and that was the end of out tree house days. The only things you can do is spray the whole place with an ant killer. Good luck.

If you want a butterfly garedn you'll just have to learn to live with the bugs. Any insecticide that kills or repels another bug will do the same to a butterfly. Why not get a good insect identification book and learn to recognize and appreciate the variety of creatures that are attracted to your butterfly garedn. Was this answer helpful?

Ants farm Aphids like we raise cows. Get rid of the ants and usually you will also get rid of the aphids.

The best way to prevent aphids is to plantmarigolds every where u can