You can squish 'em, wash 'em off with water, or use insecticidal soap according to label directions.

And yes, you can move some of your ladybugs into the greenhouse.

Absolutely put ladybugs in the greenhouse. Almost everyone has aphid problems inside. The ladybugs will stay as long as there is something to eat while they lay eggs and start cycle all over again. Nice to already have eggs and a bunch of little 'alligators' on the plants when they go outside.

I'm very happy with mail order sources & I've heard that some Home Depots now carry them.

jt

Thanks a lot for your suggestions.At this time my peppers are so very infested ( obviously never experiencing this before I did not pay enough attention) The problem is huge.My question is how long would it take for the lady bugs to take care of them? For 19 plants how many lady bugs would one place? Thanks I can just transfer them from my garden ( I have plenty there)

I would take the plants outside and spray them with plain water to remove some of the aphids and then put the plants back in the greenhouse and add the ladybugs. This will give them a better chance to get things under control.

john

I buy my ladybugs 2000 at a time for around $15. Putting a few from outside in with the plants might not clear up the problem in time.

Only 19 plants. Take them outside and do as John suggests. I personally would add a strong dishwashing liquid to the sprayer. I leave the soap/water spray on the plants for only 5, 10 or maybe even 15 min and then thoroughly rise with plain water. This is what I do. I assume no responsibility if it damages your plants so please be advised.

Some here have reported success with Neem oil. It never worked for me. Perhaps I didn't use it often enough.

For sure spray plants with water to rinse off as many aphids as possible. Then add your outside ladybugs if you don't want to mail order.

If you have a lot of ladybugs outdoors then they need to be there. They do eat pollen, but quite likely are eating pests and need to be there.

jt

If I spray them with soapy water, then it may not be enough food for the lady bugs not to mention larvae ( if they put some) I did put about 40 of them already , so can't spray now.Soapy water would discourage lady bugs or would it kill them? Thanks I am so surprised as I have never had any aphids inside my green house before..Thanks will keep you posted.I do have lots of lady bugs outside , but don't want to place too many so they have enough food there.Not sure how much they consume.I know that the larvae eats far more.Thanks

Scarleta, are you just trying to get rid of your aphids or are you starting a ladybug farm? Which is more important: Getting rid of your aphids or giving every one of your ladybugs full bellies?

Good point Lvben, I am trying not to loose the lady bugs that i placed there.Obviously anticipating that the lady bugs will take care of them.I have been growing organically for several years and yes if you want to keep the lady bugs coming back year after year you must not disturb their food source.It works for me outside . When I see an aphid I know my lady bugs will show up any day.Never fails.I don't ever bother to do anything wlith aphids outside , I just let them be.The lady bugs will not put their larvae when there is no food for them.That's why I have so many here.It took me few years to learn that and not to get the urge to spray or squish the aphids ( the temtation is always there) So to answer your question: if I did not put the lady bugs inside the greenhouse , then the peppers would be sprayed.I need the lady bugs next year and the year after also.Having never experienced such a problem inside the green house I am not sure if the lady bugs will be able to cope or not? I can only try and yes I put some more today and they look happy.I hope to get both and I know I could be dreaming here.??? Will keep you posted..Thanks

My greenhouse was infested with the buggers until it was warm enough to put everthing outside then the ladybugs came naturally. The ladybugs don't seem to fly into the greenhouse but don't mind hitching a ride on a plant being moved. As said above, spray they with a hose to get as many off as possible and do this away from the greenhouse with as much pressure as the plant can handle.

An update on my aphids problem inside the green house.The lady bugs have consumed most of the aphids and I can see few places where they placed eggs.I did not help them by spraying or anything.I placed about 60 or so.Some of them left some are still inside.Just wanted to share this..Lady Bugs need food and unless they are aphids present they won't stay and definitely won't put eggs , so the little ones would starve.Food must be plentifull for them to stay.I had no idea that they could work that fast...

scarleta is correct about the food. I make a bug chow for mine when the aphids run low. Honey, brewers yeast, and sugar.

john

John can you please let us know exactly how to make the bug chow? In case I need it in the future.I just went to check my green house and no more aphids visible.The lady bugs know when to leave as they don't want to starve .I have lots of eggs in a green house now and just a few lady bugs stil working happily.

Here is the recipe I used:
* Good Bug Chow
Mix all the following ingredients together in a glass or plastic container:
2/3 cup of warm water
4 tablespoons of brewer's yeast
2 teaspoons of honey
1/2 cup of sugar

To use: Take 2 tablespoons of the mix and dilute it in 1 quart of lukewarm water. Use this solution to spray on plants in the spring and early part of summer. Remember don't spray plants when temperatures are over 80F. Store the mixture in a sealed container in the refrigerator so it won't go rancid. It will keep for 7-10 days. The sugar in it is actually good for your plants.

Since I have them in the house I didn't want tp spray the stuff all over so I reduced the water and made a paste which i put on small pieces of cardboard.

I also think it has a longer shelf life than 7-10 days.

Don't be weirded out by the color of the pepper leaves on some of the photos. It's the lighting. I use metal halide, HPS & regular flouro tubes.

Aphids

Ladybugs

When you get the ladybugs it is best to set them out at night. (according to instructions that came with one of the places I ordered from) And I assumed that also meant lights out. :p

Give them water. I sprayed the plant leaves periodically. Sometimes once a day and sometimes every other day.

And I made feeder stations out of pill container caps, drywall screws & bamboo plant stakes. I used honey and brewer's yeast for food.

At first I put too much in the feeders and some of the bugs were drowning. So I made little bridges.

That idea was rather stupid. Put less in the feeder is a better answer.

Very nice presentation, jt. I like your little bridges.

John

thanks for sharing.I haven't had to make the mix as yet. I don't disturb the aphids and wanted to share with you.I posted here, because my problem seemed so huge inside the green house.So I put about 100 lady bugs ,they consumed all the aphids that were in there at the time , placed some eggs and left the greenhouse.I know that more aphids were to come.So now I have an army of larvea working like little vacum cleaners consuming the aphids that hatched after the lady bugs left.I was so excited watching them cleaning up the peppers.I make it a habit not to disturb the aphids ( their food source)and in my opinion spraying lady bugs with a sticky liquid so they can't fly is wrong.I would never do that.Let the lady bugs eat what they want , put the eggs ( and they will if there is enough food for them in there) and let them leave if they wish to go.They know that the larvae needs lots of aphids, so they don't want to deplete the food supply.Mother Nature will take care of things.The instructions on the box should not encourage to spray, but rather instruct to leave plenty of food for them and perhaps give the above brew receipe .I have lots of lady bugs around my yard because I let the aphids just be there.If the situation gets out of hand and no lady bugs visible I use safer soap and surely the lady bugs arrive to help me out.I never had to actually buy lady bugs.I just placed some in the green house , but they came from my yard.
I hope the lady bugs born in my green house will stay there .When there is no more food for them I do plan to make the brew recommended here.I will put it in the greenhouse .Thanks a lot..