No matter the location across the country, the variety of plant material or even the type of soil, every landscape faces the same three threats. The first is disease, which is often fungal in nature, infecting and spreading through anything from turf to a tree. Up next is weeds, which are more of a hassle until they are allowed to take over the property. However, the third is the most overlooked and most dangerous. Pests can infect any part of your landscape, chewing up roots, or sucking the life out of plants. It is the latter that a popular critter in our area specializes in, and would be known as Aphids. These insects are notorious landscaping killers as they can carry over 100 different plant viruses. They also suck the sap out of plants and cause their foliage to yellow, wilt, and die. In this blog, we will discuss how to identify them, their symptoms, and three ways to deal with these Aphids.
Aphid Identification
Because there are so many harmless bugs around, it can be tough to discern individual species. But to apply any solution to an Aphid infestation, it must be identified first. The big problem with Aphids is that there are thousands of species, and not all of them share common characteristics. They will be less than a quarter of an inch in length with a pear-shaped body that could come in any color from black to red and yellow. Many have beaks, long antennae, and some can have wings. This inconsistency is why the symptoms they cause are much more concerning.
Symptoms of an Aphid Infestation
Although they themselves are hard to identify, they cause pretty serious problems in your landscape. Let us first point out that the first thing to do when you suspect a symptom is to check for Aphids on the underside of affected material like a leaf. Plant foliage may weaken or twist, and this can happen to flowers, shrubs, and trees. You could also notice honeydew, or their leftover pieces of shedded skin looking like white flakes. They can also cause black mold, and any super abnormal signs of a plant virus can be an indicator of an Aphid problem. Because they reproduce so quickly, these need to be identified fast in order to catch them early.
Removing an Aphid Infestation: Three Solutions
Firstly, you need to consider preventative ways of keeping Aphids out before they get in. The introduction of other bugs can actually do this as Aphids are one of their favorite snacks. Beetles and wasps are both avid fans. Installing plants with strong scents can also deter Aphids, as can applying a preventive oil typically found in a spray bottle. We will consider this one way to deal with Aphids.
If Aphids take hold in a small area of your property, like on one leaf of a plant, simply get rid of them. Yes, take a hose and spray them off the affected plants every single day for at least a couple of weeks. This should take care of the infestation. If this does not work then there is always the third solution.
In a situation like this, the use of an insecticide is always an option in dire circumstances and should be applied by a professional. This will surely kill off any Aphid population.
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