Aphids on flowers: signs of damage and methods of struggle

Aphids are one of the most common pests. You can meet her not only in vegetable beds and fruit trees. Very often it can be seen on flowers growing in the yard or in the house.

Aphids are a small insect that belongs to the order of Hemiptera. The size of the pest varies within 1-2 mm. The body of such an insect has an ovoid or oval shape. Pests move very slowly.

In nature, there are many varieties of aphids. Almost all of them live in huge colonies and multiply very quickly.

1. Shaggy or white. This insect has a small oval body of light brown color. It is covered with a small fluff. Therefore, plants affected by this kind of pests appear to be covered with frost. With their appearance, the stems of flowers immediately begin to deform, and the leaves dry and crumble.
2. Cherry or black. The wingless insect has a pear-shaped body. Its length is in the range of 1.8-2.3 millimeters. The bottom of the body is brown, but the back of the insect is black and shiny. These pests give their preference to stone fruit crops, but they do not neglect flowers either.
3. Greenhouse or green. This type of insect is distinguished by an egg-shaped body, the length of which is within 2.4 mm. The color of flower aphids depends on the plant on which the insects have formed a colony. It can be green, and yellow-green, and even green with a pink tint. Such parasites can inhabit many cultures, including flowers.

In order to notice in time that aphids have appeared in the house or on the site, it is necessary to regularly inspect the grown flowers. Particular attention should be paid to the stems and the inside of the leaves. It is possible to determine that the plants were attacked by aphids by some signs.

1. The leaves and young stems of flowers are covered with a sticky layer of an incomprehensible substance. Subsequently, they begin to darken and then curl.
2. Pinholes appear on the foliage.
3. The unopened flower buds begin to fade, and then completely fall off, never blooming.
4. Those of them that have managed to open up lose their attractiveness. They soon dry up.
5. A large number of ants appear near flowers, regardless of where they grow - on the street or on the windowsill.

Noticing these pests on flowers growing in pots or balcony pots, you must immediately start fighting them. If you act quickly and use effective means, the plants will be cured in the shortest possible time.

The easiest way to fight aphids at home is to use proven chemicals.

1. Fitoverm. This drug is harmless to both plants and the environment. Therefore, it can be safely used to treat plants in the house. It is necessary to dilute the drug strictly according to the instructions. The whole plant will need to be sprayed with the finished mixture.In this case, special attention should be paid to the stems and the lower part of the leaves. Already on the 4th day after treatment, the aphid will begin to disappear. However, for prophylaxis, after 5 days, spraying must be repeated.
2. Aktara. Treatment with this insecticide also produces excellent results. In order to kill pests that attacked plants, 8 grams of the drug must be diluted in 1 liter of water. After processing the flowers, the aphid disappears almost immediately.
3. Actellik. This drug is pretty strong. Therefore, in order to kill all indoor pests, it is enough to spray the plants with the solution just once.

You can also fight aphids with simple folk remedies. But here it is worth noting that only a small number of pests can be removed in this way. Therefore, they are usually used if the plants are slightly infected.

1. Mixture with ammonia. To prepare it, you need to mix 5 milliliters of alcohol with 1 liter of water and 1 tbsp. l. grated laundry soap. Since the aphid does not tolerate this smell, after spraying, it immediately escapes.
2. A solution of salt and soda. It is prepared very simply. In a metal container, mix 1 tbsp. l. soda, 1 tbsp. l. salt and 1 liter of water. It is necessary to spray flowers with an interval of 10 days.
3. A mixture of tar soap. Such a solution will help not only get rid of harmful insects, but also strengthen the plants. To prepare it, you will need to dilute 1 tbsp. l. grated tar soap in a liter of hot water. After preparation, the solution must be cooled and used immediately. Spraying can be repeated after 5-7 days.
4. Hot pepper solution. To prepare the mixture, mix 50 grams of hot pepper and 1 glass of water. The solution must be boiled over low heat for 1 hour, and then left to infuse for 24 hours in a dark place. After this time, the mixture must be filtered and then diluted in 10 liters of water. Spraying must be carried out several times until the flowers are completely healed. It will take 1-2 weeks to remove pests.
5. Infusion of tomato tops. This product contains compounds that negatively affect the body of these insects and cause their death. To prepare the infusion, 0.5 kg of tops is poured with a liter of water and everything is brought to a boil. After the product is cooked over low heat for another 30 minutes. When the aphid control agent is ready, add a tablespoon of soap shavings to it. All this must be mixed, filtered and poured into a sprayer. You can use the plant spray immediately.

The fight against aphids on the street should be more active. Plant treatment products can be used the same. The main thing is to choose the right time for treatment.

Weather also plays an important role in the fight against aphids attacking street petunias, roses and other flowers. For spraying, it is worth choosing sunny weather. In this case, it will be possible to poison the insects in the vegetable garden or garden as quickly as possible. If after processing the flowers it still rains, the procedure will need to be repeated the next day.

To prevent aphids from destroying indoor or garden flowers, you need to adhere to preventive measures and prevent plants from becoming infected with these pests.

When purchasing a new flower for your collection, you should carefully examine it. There should be no damage or traces of insects on it.

From time to time, growing flowers in pots should be wiped with a damp cloth or washed under running water. The premises must be regularly ventilated.

Flower beds and garden flowers should also be cared for.

1. In the fall, it is necessary to clean the area from plant residues. If they have been affected by aphids, they must be completely destroyed.
2. Before planting flowers, the ground should be treated with copper sulfate. This will help disinfect the soil.
3. The flower beds should always look well-groomed. Weeds growing around flowers should be removed regularly. Indeed, very often aphids settle on them.
4. Aphid-repellent plants, such as tansy or marigolds, can be planted near the flower beds. And also such useful plants as onions and garlic are placed next to flowers.
5. It is necessary to destroy in time all the anthills that are on the site, because they are the main distributors of aphids. This can be done by pouring boiling water over them.