Aphids can destroy a plant in a few weeks.
On forums for amateur gardeners, questions are often asked about what aphids are and how to recognize the pest. In fact, detecting the insect is quite simple. The size of a representative of the order Hemiptera, as a rule, does not exceed two millimeters. It has a characteristic soft ovoid shape. When pressed, it crushes easily. Aphids move quite slowly. The insect has long legs.
There are wingless individuals and pests with wings. The female wingless insects have an elongated mouthparts. The elongated body structure becomes noticeably thicker in the anterior part.
Winged varieties have 2 pairs of wings. Capable of moving quickly and infecting other plants.
Aphids are one of the most prolific pests. A female without wings is capable of producing about one hundred and fifty larvae twice a month for six months. One fertilization is enough for this.
There is an adult insect of black and green shades. During the warm season, some varieties of aphids grow wings. Pests can travel long distances in search of food.
The pest can live and reproduce in all parts of the plant.
Aphids primarily attack stems, buds, and lower leaf blades. Pests also destroy the apical parts of young shoots and fattening branches.
Aphids are one of the most numerous categories of pests. More than four thousand species of insects are known. About one thousand species of aphids live in temperate climates. Every year new species are added to the list.
Reproduction methods and movement through the air
Depending on the group, aphids may lay eggs or give birth to larvae. The vast majority of aphids can reproduce without fertilization (parthenogenesis).
Under unfavorable conditions, one of the generations of aphids may appear heterosexual and winged. Mutation is promoted by a change in host plant and too rapid spread of the colony. Overpopulation of insects also affects the offspring. Individuals with a developed aircraft can travel long distances. A huge number of colonies will appear on a new crop in just a few weeks.
Aphid with wings.
Scientists also associate the appearance of winged individuals with the special aromatic substances of aphids. Pests use protective components in times of danger. For example, when attacked by a ladybug.
The component serves as a warning signal. Increased anxiety and activity appears in the colony. The result is an overpopulation effect. Which, in turn, affects the rapid reproduction of winged varieties.
Danger of aphids
Often the degree of damage caused by aphids to a plant is significantly underestimated. The insect feeds on vital sap from leaves, stems, buds and buds. In the affected culture you can see:
- deformed shoots and leaves;
- twisted vegetative organs;
- growth slowdown;
- lack of harvest due to non-ripening of fruits.
A weakened culture loses its stamina. In the winter season, frost resistance in an open area can significantly decrease. The plant often dies.
The insect at the initial stage of infection can be found on the underside of the leaf.
Aphids leave excrement on indoor flowers, garden and vegetable crops. Black sooty fungus, also known as black sooty mildew, may appear on sugary secretions. It is quite difficult to cure a plant from a dangerous viral disease.
To suck out the sap, the aphid pierces the integument of the plant. In areas of mass destruction, tissues initially lose their elasticity, become deformed, and then die.
If the flower arrow is damaged, inflorescences are not formed. The buds will wither without opening. The peduncle eventually fades.
The sugary secretions of aphids contain excess carbohydrates and moisture. The substance is also called honeydew or honeydew. The sweet, sticky consistency densely coats various areas of the crop. This significantly complicates breathing and gas exchange. A decrease in the intensity of photosynthesis, as well as infection by various fungi, significantly inhibits the weakened culture.
Additional information about the pest can be found in the video:
Aphids on indoor plants and in the garden - how to recognize the pest
Insects can be seen with the naked eye. Already at the initial stage of damage, it is quite easy to see several signs of pest settlement - characteristic curling of leaves, deformation of various areas and the appearance of a sweet coating on vegetative organs.
A large number of ants sometimes appear in an open area. A group of insects are attracted to sugary secretions.
Scientists have proven that ants and aphids have a close relationship. Some varieties support mutually beneficial mutualism (symbiosis). Ants protect aphids. In return, a characteristic discharge with a high concentration of sugar is obtained.
Aphids live in large groups on the lower parts of vegetative organs. Pests can be found directly next to the growing points, on young buds, shoots, and pedicels.
Various areas of affected plants curl and turn yellow. Nodules (convex hardenings) form. The buds stop developing. Deformed or malformed inflorescences may be produced.
The pest can settle on most types of indoor, garden and vegetable crops.
Indoor flora representatives - fuchsias, carnations, roses - are especially susceptible to attack by aphids. Representatives of the Araceae family, bulbous and forcing plants are also damaged.
Aphids on orchids often cause galls and gall-like formations.
Insect preferences
Aphids can appear on almost all representatives of the flora. It is necessary to inspect plants in a timely manner and use effective control methods at the first signs.
Individual insect species have their own preferences. Shrubs, fruit trees, chrysanthemums, roses and the vast majority of indoor plants are especially attractive to green aphids.
Black aphids settle primarily on garden cornflower and all representatives of the Legume family.
Preventive actions
It is necessary to carefully inspect the plant before purchasing. Aphids can hide in living bouquets. Before planting in the garden or bringing into the house, you need to carry out preventive treatment. It is advisable to place the houseplant in an insulator for several days.
Umbrella plants will help get rid of aphids. To destroy the pest, you can plant fennel, dill, parsley and carrots on the site. Crops attract natural defenders of green spaces from aphids - hoverflies.
Eating aphids by ladybugs.
Wood shavings are an excellent habitat for earwigs. The omnivorous insect copes well with numerous colonies of the pest.
You can also encourage birds to settle on the site. To do this, you should place several birdhouses and feeders in the garden. Birds can eat large numbers of aphids.
If aphids have settled on a fruit or ornamental tree, you can plant a lovely nasturtium in the tree trunk area. The plant will distract the pest's attention. Getting rid of an insect on a flower is much easier.
It is not recommended to immediately resort to the use of strong chemicals. Chemicals also kill beneficial insects. Ladybugs, earwigs, hoverflies, lacewings, ground beetles, wasps and predatory bugs will die.
It is necessary to strictly adhere to the concentration of fertilizers. Aphids look for plants with depleted substrate due to a lack of nutritional components. The pest also settles on overfed crops.
To maintain stability and endurance, it is recommended to provide the correct location for the flower. Good air circulation, adequate water and lighting should be provided regularly.
It is necessary to regularly loosen the substrate after watering. Using the procedure, you can increase the water permeability of the soil. A thick layer of mulch also enhances the plant’s defense response.
All-season methods of control
In autumn, in the garden plot you should:
- Remove the top layer of substrate from weeds.
- Remove all root growth and destroy outside the site.
- Whitewash the skeletal branches of trees with lime mortar.
In early spring, you need to reconsider the proximity of plants. Nasturtium, poppy, cosmos, mallow, chamomile and chrysanthemum should be removed from the site. It is advisable to eradicate sunflower and Jerusalem artichoke from the garden plot. Aphids are also attracted to linden and viburnum. It is not recommended to plant chicory and lettuce next to gooseberries, currants.
In summer, it is advisable to destroy all anthills. In late autumn, you need to dig out the ants’ favorite place and fill it with plenty of water.
It is not advisable to use fertilizers with a high concentration of nitrogen for feeding.
After the snow melts, you will need to carry out sanitary cleaning and remove garbage from the site. After the first signs of ants appear, whitewashing should be repeated. It is recommended to use special traps to catch insects. Before buds begin to bloom, all fruit bushes and trees should be treated with Nitrophen solution.
It is not advisable to use fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. Sprinkling is necessary periodically. Abundant watering will wash away not only ants and aphids, but also honeydew.
In summer, after buds open, the plant is especially susceptible to the influence of aphids. It is necessary to regularly inspect and treat the plant with folk remedies.
Home remedies
The following will help get rid of pests and prevent their occurrence:
- Soap solution with crushed wood ash. You will need ten liters of water and three glasses of ash. After 3 days, you need to dissolve the grated laundry soap in the liquid.
- Infusion of dandelion and garlic. In 10 liters at room temperature you need to soak 200 grams of garlic and 400 grams of the above-ground part of dandelions. The mixture is ready for use after 3 hours.
- Onion and garlic peels must be placed in warm water. After 3 days, you can use the strained solution for spraying.
The crop should be periodically treated with garlic infusion.
Often on the forum you can read advice about spraying the crop with an infusion or decoction of hemlock. It is strictly forbidden to treat the garden, fruit trees and shrubs with poisonous grass. Eating a vegetable or fruit can cause poisoning.
Use of chemicals
Three categories of drugs have been developed to combat aphids:
- intestinal;
- systemic;
- contact.
For a complex effect, all groups of drugs should be mixed. During one growing season, no more than three sprayings will be required. The procedure should be carried out at the initial stage of budding, after flowering and a month before harvesting the site.
Insecticides will help get rid of the pest.
Biological remedies
Biological agents are especially popular for killing aphids. They do not have a harmful effect on the environment. The most effective are Akarin, Bitoxibacillin and Iskra-BIO.
Having appeared on the leaves of indoor plants, aphids can not only spoil their appearance, but also lead to the death of the flower. Insects reproduce incredibly quickly and infect the entire plant within a short time. Therefore, it is necessary to begin measures to destroy pests as soon as they appear. To do this, you can use modern insect control drugs or time-tested folk methods.
In an insect colony, there are wingless individuals that ensure reproduction, and winged individuals that are responsible for distribution. Having appeared on the plant, wingless individuals begin to actively reproduce. Three generations of these insects appear in a month. Aphids feed on plant sap by piercing the leaves with a special proboscis. As they feed, they secrete a sweet liquid that attracts other insects.
Aphids live on the undersides of leaves and young stems. Leaves affected by them curl, become deformed and fall off. Buds infected with pests fall off without blooming.
The liquid secreted by aphids provokes the development of sooty fungus. This disease makes it difficult for the plant to breathe and causes its death.
How do insects get to house flowers?
The appearance of aphids on domestic flowers is difficult to miss, since they settle not in single individuals, but in entire colonies. Most often, indoor plants are infected in one of the following ways:
You can tell that a flower has become infected with aphids by the following signs:
Folk remedies against small colonies
If aphids have just appeared on an indoor flower, then you can remove them using folk remedies. This is usually how you can eliminate small colonies that have spread to one or two leaves:
Depending on the type of chemical, the treatment will need to be repeated after a few days, since aphid larvae are immune to its effects.
If treatment with Fitoverm or similar drugs does not bring the desired result, more toxic substances are used - Actellik, Karbofos or Vertimek. These are powerful insecticides with systemic effects. To prepare the solution, dilute 2 ml of Actellik in 1 liter of water and spray the plant with it. In this case, it is necessary to treat the plant only in the open air, since the substance is very toxic and can destroy not only aphids, but also other pests and beneficial insects. After 3 days the treatment is repeated. In most cases, 2 treatments are enough to completely destroy the tick.
Before processing, it is recommended to protect yourself with a gauze bandage and rubber gloves, and after finishing you need to thoroughly wash your face and hands, and rinse your throat and nose with water. Plants should be sprayed only dry in the first half of the day, trying to provide them with protection from direct sunlight during and after treatment. When the aphids die, the insects must be collected and destroyed, and the flower itself must be washed with warm water. If the treatment was carried out indoors, it is necessary to ventilate it after the end of the process.
As a rule, the main activity of aphids occurs in the spring-autumn period. The fight against this pest can hardly be called difficult, but it cannot be done without some effort and time. The main thing is to correctly and consistently follow the recommendations of specialists.
If there is a lot of food, then mainly wingless individuals reproduce, which in a short time increase the size of the colony to 100 thousand.
Aphids on a plant are distributed throughout the plant, both from the lower parts of the leaves and on the stems, especially young shoots. Pests move little, but regularly feed on plant sap. The affected leaves first turn yellow, then curl into tubes, and then fall off. Affected flower buds may not open, but immediately fall off after withering. It does not take much effort to identify the pest, since aphids are visible to the naked eye.
If one flower is infected, then it must be immediately removed and placed in a certain place, quarantining it, otherwise in a short time the aphids will move to other plants.
If you find aphids on plants in a room, you should immediately begin to fight them. For this purpose, there are various methods of control - chemical, biological, environmental and folk. Each method is selected depending on the degree of damage to indoor plants.
In case of mass infection of a flower, the following chemicals are used:
- Actorin.
- Aktara.
- Fitoverm.
- Kinmiks.
The use of the above listed means requires certain rules, which helps prevent the reappearance of pests. For example:
The biological control method involves populating the garden with natural enemies of aphids, such as wasps, ladybugs and lacewings. In your home garden, you should plant flowers that attract natural enemies of aphids. This approach will minimize the appearance and also reduce the rate of reproduction of aphids.
Folk methods of struggle are distinguished by their harmlessness, both for humans and domestic animals. At the same time, they are considered quite effective in pest control. The main thing is to prepare the product correctly and use it for its intended purpose.
Proven means:
Ecological control methods
These are the methods that are considered the safest. These include:
- Removing affected parts of the plant. It is used when the lesions are still very minor.
- Wiping parts of indoor plants with soapy water.
- Treatment with oil solutions, which are safe for both flowers and buds, but it is still not recommended to treat the buds, as they may wither.
White aphids are the smallest insects, but size is by no means a sign of harmlessness. This species is a dangerous pest that can destroy indoor plants, garden beds, and garden crops.
Aphids not only literally suck all the juices out of greenery, but are also carriers of viral diseases of flowers, shrubs and other plantings. What to do if there are white aphids on plants: how to quickly get rid of the pest?
It seems incredible how such a tiny creature can destroy a plant. But it is so. Even if there is only one female, she will quickly reproduce thousands of her own kind, because pests multiply at a fantastic speed.
Aphids feel equally comfortable both on the site and in the house. The earlier the presence of insects is detected, the sooner measures should be taken to get rid of it. By letting their vital activity take its course, you can quickly lose both flower and fruit plants.
Appearance
It is not difficult to understand that there are white aphids on an indoor flower. Examine the plant carefully. Insects make their presence known very clearly. Adults are small, whitish, barely reaching half a centimeter in length.
Externally, the body shape is drop-shaped. If you look at an individual under a microscope, you can see that its mouthparts consist of a proboscis - with which the aphid pierces the surface of plants (shoots or leaves). The head is equipped with long antennae - it is on them that tactile sensors are located. This species has both winged and wingless forms.
The former promote mass reproduction through parthenogenesis, while the latter promote movement and change of host. Winged aphids travel very long distances, which gives them the opportunity to establish their colonies everywhere. Researchers believe that the birth of aphids with wings is associated with a kind of stress that insects are exposed to when they are attacked, for example, by ladybugs or ground beetles.
As a result of a special chemical reaction in the body of pests, special odorous substances are produced, forcing the herd of aphids to move at increased speed. This creates an overpopulation effect, and offspring equipped with wings quickly reproduce.
It is assumed that only females capable of reproduction without mating are born this way.
Wingless aphids appear in both sexes. They mate. Aphids lay many eggs, and under favorable conditions, within a week or two, they develop into adults ready for reproduction.
Where do white aphids come from?
It can be difficult to say exactly where the white aphids came from on the flowers. One thing is obvious - the pest was brought in from outside. There are many ways for insects to enter a flower garden or apartment. If the plants are outdoors, a colony of aphids may have grown from a single winged female.
You shouldn’t be surprised that white aphids have appeared on indoor plants either.
Pests enter the house very easily:
- with a bouquet of wild flowers;
- with garden herbs;
- with contaminated soil;
- with new, newly purchased plants that have not been thoroughly inspected.
It is quite possible to carry aphids on outdoor shoes, clothing, and the fur of pets.
How to detect a pest
Carefully visually inspect the plant. Typically, pests prefer the lower part of leaves or young shoots. Slowly moving adult aphids and yellow oblong eggs are visible to the naked eye.
You can suspect that the plants have been attacked by aphids based on external signs:
- young shoots and flower buds darken and disappear;
- the foliage turns black and curls;
- stems and greens become covered with a sticky coating.
If you don’t know how to deal with white aphids, you can lose not only the infected plant, but also your entire flower collection, since, having feasted in one pot, the pest is transferred to another.
Among indoor flora representatives, aphids choose:
- violet;
- chrysanthemum;
- primrose;
- calla lilies;
- cyclomen.
How to remove white aphids from plants
There are many ways and methods to fight white aphids on plants. Destruction can be carried out either by one of them, or by using an integrated approach.
Mechanical method
A simple, cost-free way to get rid of aphids is to remove them manually. By regularly inspecting plants and removing larvae and insects from them, you can prevent the massive spread of aphids.
However, this method requires certain conditions:
- availability of free time and such character traits as perseverance;
- lack of disgust;
- the initial stage of plant infection.
If there are already quite a lot of aphids, it is very difficult to collect them all manually.
Chemicals
What to do if there are white aphids on indoor plants, how to fight them and save your green pets? Poisons will come to the rescue. In every department for gardeners and gardeners you can find a lot of remedies against white aphids.
These include pesticides. Chemicals help destroy pests from the first treatment. How to get rid of white aphids is outlined in detailed instructions for each such drug.
The most in demand are those that have proven their effectiveness, such as:
- Intra-vir;
- Hostakvik.
The active components in them are pyrethroids, synthetic insecticides. They are characterized by low toxicity and low volatility. All this makes them suitable for treating indoor plants. It should be remembered that aphids quickly get used to chemicals. Therefore, periodic spraying in the event of constant infection will soon become useless - the drugs will need to be replaced.
They use the method of spraying with chemicals, making a solution based on them. The dosage of the drug is selected following the instructions in the instructions. At the same time, we must not forget about precautions: use gloves, a respirator, ventilate the premises well and do not allow people and animals to be in them at this time.
Traditional methods
If white aphids are found on flowers, folk wisdom will tell you how to get rid of the pest. Simple means at hand are no less effective against pests than pesticides.
Ammonia for spraying
There's probably a bottle of ammonia lying around in your first aid kit. The product is dissolved in water in proportions of one to one. A spray bottle is filled with the solution, irrigating the plant. Repeated treatment is carried out after 2-4 days.
Ammonia-soap solution
For 5 liters of water, take a tablespoon of alcohol-ammonia, pour in a couple of drops of liquid soap or shampoo. The solution is sprayed with a spray bottle onto those plants where white aphids have settled.
Dry onion peel
It is easy to make an infusion from these food scraps. Take a handful of husks per liter of boiling water. Turning the stove on at low power, steam the broth for 5 minutes, then let it sit for a day.
The filtered liquid is sprayed onto the plants through a spray bottle. At the same time, white aphids on tomatoes and flower crops also die well from onions.
Table vinegar
The treatment is carried out with an acidic aqueous solution. Add a tablespoon of 9% acetic acid per liter of water.
Spraying is carried out at intervals of 3-5 days until the infected plant is completely cleared of the pest.
Laundry soap solution
The block is rubbed through a fine-mesh grater. The shavings are dissolved in warm water (a couple of tablespoons per liter). Spray the plants with cooled soapy water.
Citrus peel
Lemon and orange peels repel aphids with their scent. You can simply put the crusts in a flower pot, and it is also recommended to prepare a decoction for sprinkling.
The peel is first crushed and an infusion is prepared from it: a liter of boiling water is required for a handful of citrus crumbs. The infusion is left to stand for three days, then filtered and used for its intended purpose.
Self-planted tobacco
It is enough to sprinkle tobacco dust on the leaves and soil of the plant, and the aphids will leave it alone. You can also spray it with infusion: take a tablespoon of shag for a glass of boiling water and let it infuse for two days.
Then the infected plants are sprayed with filtered liquid, repeating the procedure once a week until the aphids are completely eliminated.
Decoction of celandine herb
You will need to take 1 cup of crushed fresh raw materials. It is poured with a liter of boiling water.
Celandine decoction
After infusion for a day, the broth is filtered and used for spraying plants (both indoor and outdoor). Repeated treatments are carried out once a week.
Traditional methods of combating white aphids are safe for the health of people and pets.
Conclusion
White aphids are a scourge that both flower growers and gardeners face. The pest causes significant damage by destroying plants or infecting them with viruses. Removing aphids is not so easy. However, affordable and effective remedies against it exist.
So, if white aphids have appeared, what to do with it depends on the degree of infestation of the plants. If the pests are isolated, you can get by with manual control; in more advanced cases, you will have to choose between pesticides and traditional methods.
Video: Saving indoor plants from aphids
Aphids are recognized as the most common pest of indoor plants. It is a small insect of green, black or brown color. Aphids reproduce very quickly. Therefore, if you do not start fighting the vital activity of this insect, then soon there will simply be nothing left of the indoor plant: only a huge colony of aphids.
If aphids appear on plants, they grow slowly, their leaves curl and their stems become bent. Therefore, the question of how to get rid of aphids should become relevant for every housewife, at the slightest suspicion of their appearance. There are several ways to fight so that aphids on flowers disappear and do not appear again.
Basically, all control methods come down to spraying. The composition of spray solutions may vary:
An excellent remedy that will help get rid of aphids on roses and other flowers is a solution of laundry soap. You need to take 200-300 grams of natural soap per 10 liters of water. Usually the affected parts of the flower are washed with this solution. It is necessary to ensure that the solution does not get into the ground; it is better to cover it with something during the procedure. The solution is effective for a week. After this period and if necessary, you can repeat the procedure.
Another good remedy that will quickly get rid of aphids is onion tincture. For seven hours, place 10 grams of chopped onions per liter of water in a tightly closed container. Before spraying a houseplant, it is best to filter the solution.
Hot peppers are another enemy of aphids. True, this solution will have to be infused for two days. 100 grams of hot pepper is poured into a liter of water. Boil for an hour. Dilute the resulting concentrate with seven times the amount of water.
How to get rid of flower aphids? You can infuse pine needles. 500 grams of any pine needles must be infused in a warm place in two liters of water. The product is infused for a whole week. The resulting concentrate, again, is diluted in a ratio of 1 to 10.
A decoction of garlic must be infused for five days. You will need 200 grams of chopped garlic, which is infused in one liter of water. Diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 50.
You can quickly prepare an infusion of celandine to fight aphids. It only needs to be left for a day. True, you will need two kilograms of fresh or half a kilogram of dry leaves. Infuse the crushed leaves in five liters of water.
Works well against aphids on citrus peel plants. They need to be filled with water and left for three days. Spray problem areas with the resulting infusion.
Some people advise changing the soil in the pot before starting to fight aphids. During processing and treatment of the plant, protect the new soil with cellophane. Today you can buy many ready-made chemicals that will help you quickly get rid of this
houseplant pest. But solutions prepared with your own hands are more environmentally friendly. They will do less harm to the plant itself.
