Aphids are incredibly small insects that are from the Aphididae insect family. There are well over 5,000 different species with several hundred of them being a direct threat to gardening and agriculture. Adult aphids are less than an 1/8 of an inch and are pear-shaped. The most common to be found on house plants are the light green ones, but they can also be found in black, grey, white and pink. In addition, once an aphid colony is established, the winged adult aphids will set off to infect other plants. Juvenile aphids look very similar to the adults and are just smaller in size.

Understanding how aphids damage plants

An aphid infestation can develop rather quickly and considering the insects are rather mobile they can travel quickly from one plant to another. In an outdoor garden, aphid colonies are usually tended to by ants which will feed upon the aphid honeydew, a sugary liquid that aphids secrete as they feed upon the sap of plants. Researchers have found that ants will transport aphids to new plants and believe that the ants are, in fact, farming aphids as a source of new honeydew. Aphids that are found on indoor plants tend to travel by flying or crawling to new plants.

Aphids cause considerable damage to plants by sucking the sap from new growth on plants. They’ll generally cluster around these fresh shoots, attaching themselves to the softer, young green stems. When this happens, the new foliage tends to look stunted or crinkled. Taking a closer look, one can visibly see aphids around the stem. If the infestation is severe enough, eventually the plant will begin to lose its leaves. Similar to mealy bugs, the honeydew that is secreted from the aphids will eventually encourage the growth of fungus and mould.

Understanding the aphid lifecycle

Aphid eggs that are found in the outdoors will generally survive through the winter by being attached to woodsy growth. When spring arrives the eggs will hatch into females. These females will give birth to nymphs without the process of mating in these nymphs have the ability to mature into adults in the matter of 10 days. The males will be born in the fall and mate with females in an effort to produce eggs in preparation for the long winter ahead. However, for aphids living indoors there is no winter season to slow their reproduction, which allows female aphids to continually produce nymphs all year long. One can easily see how quickly an aphid population can flourish out of control indoors.

Dealing with and preventing aphids

Like many indoor and outdoor pests, defensive methods will usually work best. Having healthy plants is one of the best ways to combat an infestation as opposed to those that are weak and stressed. A general rule of thumb is to ensure that all of your plants are as healthy as possible to avoid a serious infestation.

However, if you do find aphids on your indoor plants, there are several control options that you can try with many of them being non-chemical:

• Wash them away
• Flick them off with a cotton swab or your finger

However, one of the best methods to fight light infestations is to simply dip them in water. If you have a plant that features delicate foliage, it is best to simply dip the entire plant in water to remove the aphids. Simply turn the plant upside down and dip the foliage into a bucket of room temperature water for best results.

Insecticidal soap

There are many insecticidal soaps that are available on the market or you can even create your own by using dish detergent. It is best to find a product that is going to be free of additives and perfumes that may be harmful to your plants. Slowly mix the soap into a week concentration with water. Simply take the mixture and spray onto plants, ensuring that the underside of the leaves are sprayed.

Applying neem oil

Neem trees provide this particular oil making it an entirely organic compound for your plants. However, it is still wise to use it according to its specific instructions. In addition to insecticidal properties, neem oil is absorbed directly into the plant to help control insects without any direct contact involved. The Environmental Protection Association has stated that neem oil is safe to use on food plants and ornamental plants.

Home-made insects sprays

Organic Gardening magazine developed this all-purpose insect spray that has also been described in Rodale’s Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control. To create a batch of this spray you’ll need to combine one garlic bulb, a small onion and 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a blender and process it into a paste. Then mix in 1 quart of water and steep for at least one hour. Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth and add a tablespoon of liquid dish soap and mix well. This mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for at least one week.

Rubbing alcohol

This is perhaps one of the more time-consuming methods, however, the aphids will die once they’re coated with rubbing alcohol.

Removal of damaged plants

For indoor plants, it’s best to simply cut away any damaged sections of the plan that have been heavily infested and throw them away outdoors.

Sticky traps

It’s possible to purchase strips of sticky paper that you can hang near your plants which will trap any insect as they stop by for a visit. These simple sticky traps are available from online retailers and local garden centres.

Chemical sprays

While it’s always best to avoid resorting to any type of chemical solution, a severe infestation may require the use of a spray. It’s best to look for sprays that are safe and contain a low toxicity level.

[disclosure*]