Aphids can sap your plants of nutrients, transmit viruses, or kill off your garden with their toxins. They could even be affecting your garden right now.
With this in mind, do you know what to do if you see aphids in your bushes? Read on to find out what these insects are, how to find them, and how to deal with them.
What Are Aphids?
Aphids are small insects, only about 1-3 millimeters small, that tend to feed on the nutrients within plants. You can recognize them from the two small cornicles at the back of their body that look like tiny engine tailpipes.
There are over twenty species of aphid that can infect your garden or greenhouse. Their action can cause several types of damage and you could end up with a completely decimated crop or garden if you do not deal with them.
Where Can You Find Aphids?
Aphids are not limited to the region of Southern Maryland or even the United States. They are a worldwide pest and are well-known in many corners of the Earth for the damage they cause.
The different species tend to stick to their preferred food source of one specific host crop. Although, they do sometimes migrate. This behavior means they can both cause a lot of damage and be very hard to get rid of when you find them.
When searching for aphids, you can locate them almost anywhere in the plant. They feed from the stems, buds, and underneath the leaves. Sometimes they even exist on the roots and will make use of any exposed surfaces to take in nutrients.
Symptoms of Aphid Infestation
As aphids feed by pushing their mouthpieces through the surface of a plant, they can end up causing a lot of damage to the surface of vegetation. This is even more true if the aphids are not dealt with and start reproducing in large numbers. They can end up causing deformities, stunting, or reductions in growth rates.
Another symptom is the appearance of a sticky substance on the surface of the plant often called “honeydew”. This substance is problematic as it can encourage the growth of mold on the plant.
How to Resolve Aphid Problems
There are several methods of aphid control available. We have listed some of them below:
Physical: The most up-front way to get rid of aphis is to wash them off of the plant. You can remove smaller populations with a strong hose that strips them from the plant’s surface without damaging the plant.
Insecticide: Making use of contact insecticides can remove these insects as well as act as a form of aphid prevention before they occur. If the plant is particularly large, you may need to run through many applications, but aphids rarely survive the process.
Biocontrol: Another option is to make use of natural predators of the aphid. You can use several purchasable midges, wasps, beetles, or fungi to reduce the aphid population without damaging the plants.
Where to Find More
Now you have learned the above about aphids, you may wish to learn more or make use of our new aphid control services in Southern Maryland. If that is the case, get in contact with our support team.
With one quick phone call, you could be on the way to an aphid-free garden in no time. So pick up the phone today.
If you live in Southern Maryland, or Northern Virginia and need help please call us now or visit our website here.
