Eradicating the freaking aphids

[wordwiz]

They invaded my plants a couple weeks ago, and by the time I found out what they were and how to supposedly kill them (using soap and baking soda with water) they really set me plants back. But I thought I had exterminated them.

This evening, I went upstairs to turn the lights off and to my dismay, there were these freaking red bugs on the leaves of the biggest plants. What do I need to do to kill, eradicate, erase, exterminate, get rid of these pests once and for all? Use some of my DDT?

Mike

[bentalphanerd]

Pyrethrum works great. Really screws the little bastards over.

[DevilDuck]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/224/511234695_c69bff71e9.jpg

[AlabamaJack]

Call Arnold......

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4449/exterminatorwg4.jpg

[stillmanz]

reguliar neem treatment works but pyrethium will do the job magicly.

[POTAWIE]

Neem and pyrethrium and soap only work so well for me. I just bought 4500 ladybugs and they are starting to do the job but its the larvae I'm waiting for.

[stillmanz]

I wish we could buy lady beetles in OZ. we're a bit behind down here with green house technology in more than one way lol.

[habman]

They invaded my plants a couple weeks ago, and by the time I found out what they were and how to supposedly kill them (using soap and baking soda with water) they really set me plants back. But I thought I had exterminated them.

This evening, I went upstairs to turn the lights off and to my dismay, there were these freaking red bugs on the leaves of the biggest plants. What do I need to do to kill, eradicate, erase, exterminate, get rid of these pests once and for all? Use some of my DDT?

Mike

>>there were these freaking red bugs on the leaves of the biggest plants.

Those are spider mites. Nasty little buggers, I got infested not too long ago and they destroyed most of my indoor winter crop! :(

KILL THEM!!!

[wordwiz]

KILL THEM!!!
I'm trying. If all else fails, I will use DDT!

There was probably 20 times as many this afternoon as there was this morning. I picked up some spray (sort of limited in options) that is supposed to kill aphids and mites, among other insects.

If there is a bright side of this coin, it is I'm learning these things before I really start next year's crop.

Mike

[chilliman64]

are aphids black as well?

I've got some tiny little bugs about the size of fleas, clear wings and move around very quickly. I think they may have come out of the potting mix but I really don't know. mites???

[POTAWIE]

Aphids can be red but never seen black ones and they generally don't have wings. Sounds like maybe fruit flies, I know I get them too.

[Pam]

are aphids black as well?

I've got some tiny little bugs about the size of fleas, clear wings and move around very quickly. I think they may have come out of the potting mix but I really don't know. mites???

If they came out of the potting mix, they could well be fruit flies like Potawie says, or they could be fungus gnats.

http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/toolbox6/hort6/html/resources/visitor_centre/fact_sheets/fungus_gnat.htm

Too, there are so many kinds of aphids, and in the winged sexual stage I have seen black ones, just never on the peppers.

[wordwiz]

are aphids black as well?

I've got some tiny little bugs about the size of fleas, clear wings and move around very quickly. I think they may have come out of the potting mix but I really don't know. mites???

It seems all the potting soil I have bought have these little boogers in it. They have never seemed to hurt any plants - peppers, tomatoes or flowers.

Merry Christmas,

Mike

[chilliman64]

Aphids can be red but never seen black ones and they generally don't have wings. Sounds like maybe fruit flies, I know I get them too.

I wondered if they may be fruit fly but I have no fruit at present, or doesn't that matter?

If they came out of the potting mix, they could well be fruit flies like Potawie says, or they could be fungus gnats.

http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/toolbox6/hort6/html/resources/visitor_centre/fact_sheets/fungus_gnat.htm

Too, there are so many kinds of aphids, and in the winged sexual stage I have seen black ones, just never on the peppers.

thanks for the link Pam, I'll check it out. in the meantime I bought some pyrethrum based spray and gave all plants a few shots...

It seems all the potting soil I have bought have these little boogers in it. They have never seemed to hurt any plants - peppers, tomatoes or flowers.

Merry Christmas,

Mike

that's interesting Mike! I wondered if I just had a 'bad' batch! I had bought the bags of mix about 6 weeks ago and had them laid out in the back yard to try to kill off the baddies, obviously didn't work. Merry Christmas to you too dude!