skip to main content

Butterfly Garden

Aphids are winning

12 years ago

Anyonw with any suggestions? I am hand removing them and using insecticidal soap. It seems I get all the milkweed clean and the next morning they are just as bad. I have seen only one Monarch this year and raised one cat which probably had OE since it couldn't fly once it eclosed. I am frustrated. Help?!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

docmom_gw
12 years ago
All I can say is that these things seem to go in cycles. If the aphids are bad this year, then the beneficials who eat them will move in and hopefully they'll be under control next year. You could try purchasing some ladybugs from some one. I've never done it, but others here on Gardenweb might be able to tell you more about that.

Martha
bob_71
12 years ago
jwink246, the insect pests that usually feed on milkweed plants are not nearly as bothersome as those that prey on some other plants.

The two types that I find most often are aphids and Milkweed bugs. In the first case (aphids) they are sucking insects and can be controlled with any of the milder sprays such as insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, or just a hard spray of water from the hose a few times a week, or so. Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a rather substantial plant and, with aphids, even if you do nothing, there will be very little damage. There are many types of aphids...the one that usually preys on milkweeds is the...

OLEANDER APHID
{{gwi:480241}}

The other insects that feed somewhat on Milkweed plants are the Large and the Small Milkweed Bugs. These are seed-eating bugs and won't give you much of a problem unless you save seeds. Both of these bugs are pretty enough to put up with. I, personally, ignore these because most eradicating products would wipe out the butterflies in my yard.

LARGE AND SMALL MILKWEED BUGS
{{gwi:480242}}

THIS IS A SHOT OF THE LARGE MILKWEED BUG ALONG WITH THE OLEANDER APHIDS.
{{gwi:480243}}

Nature will step in to control most insect infestations as the below shot shows.

GREEN LACEWING larvae feeding on OLEANDER APHIDS. They are voracious feeders.
{{gwi:480244}}

Hope this helps!

Bob
Related Discussions
Aphids vs. Ladybugs---Aphids Winning!!
Q
Comments (14)
I noticed for the first time in 15 years that my clematis plant had little black bugs all over the trellis and old vines, and osme one leaves. They are the size of a tick. I think I finally found out that they are aphids. The odd thing is that after an unusal amount of rain this year, the big fir tree branch hanging over the Clematis, dropped a ton of sap all over my leaves. I have tried soapy water, but that doesn't last too long. Has anyone heard of aphids, in every size, coming from the sap of fir tree? what is the best homemade remedy I can use for both the sap and the aphids. Thanks, Jan
...See More
Re aphids - don't ants eat aphids?
Q
Comments (20)
I saw a documentary on ants by some famous ant scientist. Ants also secrete a pheremone where they walk and that is how the soldier ants know where to go- to bring food to the queen etc. If you watch ants they form trails- patterns that they all follow. If you put down something to distract them such as lavender oil, black pepper- something with a strong lasting smell they will get to that place and loose the pheremone scent and turn around. You will then see some very confused ants. I don't know about the whole aphid thing but I do know this is fact. So- if you really feel the need to get rid of the ants- experiment with this and see what happens. I tried this when I had an infestation of these tiny ants which happened to be in an external modem for the phone.It was so gross but I still had a hard time killing these little creatures carrying eggs trying to protect them when they were disturbed. So out came the lavender oil and away they went.Anyway I have millions of tiny ants in the garden this year and I wondered if they were somewhere in the chain of disaster I'm experiencing. See my post on bugs, bugs, bugs!
...See More
aphid help
Q
Comments (4)
My Brugs are outside. SO ARE THE DANG APHIDS ;0) Too cool for other insects, so the aphids are having a great time. The Brug most affected is Isabella. She is surrounded by other Brugs, but the aphids are just on her. Anyone else experience certain Brugs being magnets to certain insects? Have not been able to find Safer soap. All the stores are not stocked yet. What's the recipe that you all use and what sort of soap are you spraying. Please Help. the Aphids are winning!!! (smile) Gloria
...See More
oil sprays for use in heat & humidy?
Q
Comments (7)
Your aphids are likely brown citrus aphid, which ranges from brown to black. The easy way to identify it is to wipe a hand or white cloth over them. The stains from those which burst look very much like drying blood. All other aphids on citrus make clear "juice" when they burst. The other thing which identifies BCA from all other aphids on citrus is that they make big colonies on the stems as well as leaves. Other aphids tend to go for leaves only. Yes, you could use an insecticidal soap on them, and that should not much disrupt your beneficials. I'd make it pretty dilute, and if it doesn't do the job, try again later with a more concentrated solution. I'd look carefully, first, to see if there are any ladybugs present, or ladybug larvae (do you recognize them? Like little orange-and-black dragons) present. If so, I'd not use even the soap. The LBs will clean up an aphid infestation very quickly. LB eggs are bright yellow, maybe 1/4 the size of an aphid. If you do use soap, you can further reduce the chance of burning your leaves by rinsing it off thoroughly with plain water, half an hour or so after spraying. The aphids will be dead by then, if it's going to work at all.
...See More
caterwallin
12 years ago
Beautiful pictures, Bob! I always enjoy seeing the ones that you post. As far as the Oleander aphids, they give me the heebie jeebies! lol Really, I can't stand to see them and squish them when I get a chance. One good thing about not having any milkweed planted yet is that I don't have any of those aphids. Ha! Actually, as far as I can recall, I don't think they show up here quite this early. I think it's more like the end of the month or beginning of July. I wish we had more ladybugs that would take care of them. We're plagued with those foreign ones most of the fall and winter (inside our house), but then when they're needed to eat the aphids, they seem to high-tail it out of here. Anyway, I'm hoping that the aphids aren't too bad this year.
Btw, do you know if the lacewings would also eat Monarch eggs/cats?
Cathy
bananasinohio
12 years ago
Becareful what you wish for. Lacewing larvae and Ladybugs do eat caterpillar eggs and 1st instar cats. Best to just use a good stream of water and accept that in butterfly gardening there will be some loss to pests.
-Elisabeth

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES This Fly Is One of the Most Beneficial Insects Around

By Pollination Press LLC

Meet the syrphid fly, a colorful pollinator that also beats chemicals for controlling aphids and other garden pests

GARDENING GUIDES Look Out for Lacewings: Beneficial Insects Coming to a Garden Near You

By Pollination Press LLC

Lacewings are delicate insects that produce alligator-like, hungry offspring that devour aphids and other garden pests

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Milkweed

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Quit cringing. This not-weed plant is a sight to behold in the garden, has a delicious vanilla scent and is a magnet for butterflies

WINTER GARDENING Pruning Secrets for Exquisite Roses

By Annie Thornton

Encourage gorgeous blooms year after year with this time-tested advice on how to prune your rosebush in winter for health and shape

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Butterfly Milkweed, a Beacon in the Prairie

By Pollination Press LLC

Vivacious orange flowers for you, nectar for the butterflies and bees. Asclepias tuberosa is worth planting for more reasons than one

GARDENING GUIDES We Bust 4 More Native Plant Myths

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Have you been taken in by these fallacies about gardening with native plants?

GARDENING GUIDES 5 Invaluable Life Lessons From the Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

The garden is both teacher and healer. Don't be afraid — dig in and reap the benefits

FALL GARDENING 7 Reasons Not to Clean Up Your Fall Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Before you pluck and rake, consider wildlife, the health of your plants and your own right to relax

GARDENING GUIDES How to Switch to an Organic Landscape Plan

By Falon Mihalic

Ditch the chemicals for a naturally beautiful lawn and garden, using living fertilizers and other nontoxic treatments

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crops: How to Grow Watermelons

By Marianne Lipanovich

You might not need as much space as you think to get this summer mainstay to spring up in your garden

Sponsored

Columbus Premier Design-Build and General Contractor