Home and Garden Diva

You are here: Home / Archives for aphids

Why Aphids And Ants Are Common Garden Pest Problems

by

A common garden problem that many homeowners have is the infestation of ants and aphids. When these two pests are present in a garden, you can expect the damages to be serious especially when they are not treated immediately. While aphids have a preference to stay in a certain location to drink the sap of plants and excrete honeydew, ants on the other hand are always on the move, constantly feeding and they are also known to be very aggressive towards other insects and even humans when disturbed. It may seem incredible that aphids and ants can live together in one location, but as each benefit from the other, their relationship only makes sense. As such, eradicating them from your garden is important if you intend to have a healthy and presentable garden.

The Incredible Relationship

Aphids feed on plant sap and they then eliminate amounts of sugar in the form of honeydew, in order to obtain the amino acid content in the sap to enable them to build proteins. The honeydew being eliminated by the aphids is a moderately concentrated solution which is irresistible to ants and other pests. As such, ants feed on the honeydew without attacking the aphids, but they have been known to attack those that may feed on aphids, in order to protect the aphid colony. Ants are aware that they can feed abundantly when aphids exist. Aphids in turn, are able to thrive and feed in peace knowing that the ants will protect them from predators as long as honeydew is always available.

How Aphids And Ants Feed

Aphids feed by lining up along the stem of plants and on the plant buds, then pumping sap into their guts from the plant’s cells. The sap not being rich in amino acids, but being rich in sugar is expelled by the aphids by passing it unabsorbed through the digestive tract. This expelled sugar is known as the honeydew.

Ants on the other hand feed on a broad diet, expect plant stems and leaves. They can feed on fruits, seeds, insects and different organic matter. Once with amino acids and when they find an abundant supply of sugar, ants will collect and store the sugar as their food supply during the winter.

In order to receive the supply of honeydew, ants and aphids have a unique way of communicating. Aphids have a section on their abdomen called cornicles that look like the rounded heads of ants having two antennae and pointed chins. When ants stroke the abdomen of the aphids, they do it in a similar way of how they stroke the head and antennae of their fellow ants. After stroking, aphids release drops of honeydew, which the ant swallows and carries off to the nest after feeding on a few.

Ants are very useful to aphids and when the number of aphids is great in a garden, you can expect the number of ants to be great as well. Ants do not cause any direct damages to a garden, but they allow aphids to exist when they prevent predators from feeding on aphids, just so they can feed and store honeydew. In order to get rid of aphids in a garden, it is essential that ant control is applied first before dealing with the aphid infestation.

Citations:
Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://mrg.bz/NYb1m4

Valerie Williams is a freelance writer specializing in natural forms of pest control as well as the effects different pests have in gardens. She regularly contributes articles to websites where reliable Preventive Pest Control professionals can be consulted.

4 Pests That Damage Ornamental Plants

by

All plants including ornamental plants are subjected to destructive insects. This can be a problem especially if you use ornamental plants inside your home for therapeutic and home décor purposes. The only way to deal with such insects is by learning how to identify them and know which type of treatment can be used against them. Always remember that treating a plant early can save it completely compared to delayed treatment. Here are four common pests that are known to damage ornamental plants inside and outside homes.

Aphids

Aphids are known to feed on rose bushes and ornamental plants by sucking them causing the plant leaves to curl, yellow off and then fall off. These insects are identified by their orange to black bodies measuring between 1/16 and 1/8 inch in length. They can often be found living and feeding underneath the leaves and stems of plants. Since aphids can transmit plant diseases, pest control is essential. The presence of ants must be controlled as they help spread aphids since they feed on the excretion. Treating aphid infested plants is easy with the help of insecticidal soap spray which quickly penetrates their soft bodies.

Mealybugs

Identified as small and soft bodied insects that are white and fuzzy, mealybugs can infest an array of plants, mostly located in warm and humid climates. Once they cover a plant stem and excrete honeydew, they can cause the plant to develop sooty mold which is a fungal disease. This can lead to yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Like other plant pests, controlling the insect will also mean having to control the presence of ants on the plant. You can spray insecticidal soap on the plant to get rid of mealybugs or simply introduce ladybugs to control them.

Scale Insects

There are more than 400 species of scale insects in the United States, but there are only two scale types that these insects feature – soft bodied and armored scales. They can be distinguished by their colors which seem to look like all the colors of the rainbow, and they measure between 1/16 and 1/8 inch. Sometimes identifying these insects can be complicated because their body shapes vary from oval to circular and pear shaped to oblong. They damage plants by feeding on the juice of plants which can lead to a growth halt if the infestation is not treated immediately. In order to treat plants infested with scale insects, ants must be controlled because they can carry scale insects onto plants. Plants can also be sprayed with a combination of insecticidal soap spray and canola oil, until all the insects are killed.

Spider Mites

Indoor and outdoor ornamental plants can be attacked by spider mites. They are related to the spider family and so can be identified by their red, yellow, green or brown bodies and the web weaved onto plants which are more noticeable. Spider mites can cause the leaves of plants to become discolored and flecked to almost burned, that then drop off until the entire plant dies. Though insecticides can be used to control this insect, the use of ladybugs and other natural enemies are considered safe, efficient and eco-friendly.

Citations:
Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://mrg.bz/mxSfcG

Valerie Oliver is a freelance writer specializing in natural pest control methods. She regularly contributes articles to http://www.affordablepest.com where reliable and well experienced professionals can be consulted.

How To Detect Infestations In Your Garden

by



You will often come across pest infestations in your garden, but mostly when the infestation has become severe. In order to save your garden from severe damage from pests, it is important that you are able to detect the early signs of infestations. It is also important that you are informed about the various pest control methods available to you to control and prevent further pest infestations. This way you will be able to maintain your garden healthily. However, it is essential that you seek professional pest control assistance when you are unable to control the infestation in your garden to avoid the pests from invading your home.


How To Detect Infestations

The only way you can detect early infestations is when you observe your garden regularly. Always visit your garden and inspect all your plants. Be sure to inspect the stems and the undersides of the leaves as this is where pest activity usually occurs and where most of the damages can be found. Here are a few tips for you to understand the different signs of pest infestation:

Wilted Plants

When you find wilted, yellow and warped plants or leaves, this is mostly the sign that aphids have fed on the sap of the plants. You can sometimes still find these insects crawling on the plants along with ants trying to protect the aphids as they harvest the honeydew being produced. However, this type of infestation can also bring about black mold, so you can be sure that they are a problem when you discover your plants covered in black and gray spots. Nevertheless, there is a natural form of pest control to help keep aphids away. All you need to do is grow basil, anise, chives and even garlic surrounding other plants to keep aphids away. Otherwise, you can also soak crushed mint leaves or garlic in water, strain and then have the mixture sprayed on the plants.

Silvery Lines And Damaged Crops

Silvery lines around gardens and damaged lettuce crops indicate that you have slugs and snails living in your garden. These pests are a frustration to any gardener, but since there are various ways to control snails and slugs, all you need is patience and determination. You can locate them hiding under rocks and dispose them, create barriers of copper or eggshells, or have a container buried in the ground filled with beer.

Holes In Plant Leaves

Japanese beetles, caterpillars and cabbage loopers are often the cause of holes in plant leaves. Fortunately, they are easy to detect and control. The beetles tend to feed on plants the entire day without caring about being seen, so all you need to do is pluck them off. Cabbage loopers can be identified by looking out for white eggs that are laid on the top side of leaves. Just like beetles, they can easily be plucked off. If you need to get rid of caterpillars, simply place a potted nasturtium nearby.

Dry Plants

Dry plants are also an indication of mites infestations. Mites are small yellow, red or green spiders that can suck plants just like aphids. Since mites have a preference to infest plants in dry conditions, you can get rid of this pest by soaking the plant with water. You can also combine mild soap and water and mist the plant with the mixture.

Valerie Williams is a freelance writer specializing in natural methods of pest control. She regularly contributes articles to PreventivePestControl.com and other pest control websites.

Meta

Tags

basement bed bedroom clean cleaning clutter dog exercise family fitness flowers friends Furniture garden Health help home house husband ideas Kitchen laptop Lighting money Music neighborhood neighbors party plants room Shopping sick skin spring summer tips tired Toronto Travel tv Vacation walking warm winter work

Pages