APHID SPRAY

    This article is about APHID control.
It will explain why they are a pest and what
needs to be done for controlling infestations.
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   Aphids are small insects which thrive on just about
any plant. Any gardener or farmer knows what aphids are
and may consider them their number one enemy. Also
known as plant lice, these small but persistent insects
seem to appear out of thin air and will encompass all
the new green growth of any plant they can find. This
article will detail some basic biology of aphids, explain
why they are a pest and then offer a wide range of control
methods which can be used for local infestations. Here is 
short video that shows an average aphid.



   Aphids are a very common pest in gardens and nursery
stock around homes and farms. In fact, they may be the
number one pest in both sheer numbers and frequency of
plants they will attack. Though there are hundreds of 
species of aphids, the purpose of this article is not
to detail each specie but instead detail basic biology
and then offer a wide range of control methods for all
types of infestations. The good news about aphids is
that there a plenty of treatment options available
most of which will work when done at the right time
and with the right frequency. The bad news is that 
aphids are both persistent and quick to multiply -
traits which make them a formidable foe.
   Aphids are a small insect which are not much smaller
than a grain of rice. There are hundreds of species
distributed throughout the world and though most
are plant or host specific, aphids are able
to adapt their nutritional needs to take advantage
of that which is abundant and available. Aphids
are generally green in color but can be clear, white
and just about any color which may have something
to do with just what it is they are eating. Aphids
overwinter as eggs and in the spring will hatch
winged females that immediately search out a good
food supply and once they find one they will
lay eggs and move on searching for more food
supplies. The eggs which are laid will hatch in
a about a week. Aphids have piercing, biting mouthparts 
and will feed off the sap of plant life. Once they 
start to feed, this first batch of aphids will start 
to produce live young. This is done parthenogenetically
which means they are able to produce live young without
having to mate. The live young will begin to feed upon
emerging from the females and within another week this 
batch will start producing more live young. Each adult
can produce 50 - 100 live young which means that a few
adult aphids can turn into several thousand in less
than a month! All the young created will be wingless
until the colony grows too large for the plant to support
it's food demand. At that time winged live ones will
start to appear whose role is to leave their home
colony seeking new plants on which to feed. This
sequence of events will play out over the course of
the growing season and will only stop when the plant
either dies or goes dormant for the winter. Plant life
within growing zones which are active year round are
susceptible to aphids year round; plant life which is
growing for 6 months of the year can only have active
aphids during this time. If the aphids food supply goes
dormant for a winter season so to will the aphids.
Just before they do so males will mate with females
and the females will lay eggs just before death. These
eggs will hatch in the following spring and this
cycle will begin all over again.
   As the author stated above, the intention of
this article is not to detail all the different species
of aphids around the world. However, the more common
species includes the Pea Aphid, Bean Aphid, Cotton
Aphid, Melon Aphid, Cabbage Aphid, Mealy Plum Aphid,
Grain Aphid, Rose Aphid, Peach Aphid, Corn Aphid,
Alfalfa Aphid, Pine Aphid, Spruce Aphid, Grass Aphid,
Oak Aphid and the Cactus Aphid. Though these are all
specific to a certain tree or plant, it is generally
accepted that most aphids will take advantage of any
vulnerable food supply. In other words, Rose Aphids
don't mind eating birch tree leaves or Crepe Myrtle's
if that's all they find. For this reason alone
aphids are a pest which must not be ignored. If a 
region is having a local breakout of aphids, rest
assured some will find their way onto any plants
they smell so don't think your plant is safe
because it's "not what they eat".

WHY SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED ABOUT APHID DAMAGE????

   Aphids have piercing chewing mouthparts which enable
them to feed off the sap or life blood of any plant.
They are much like Fleas or Mosquitoes are to mammals;
Aphids seek the blood of plant life and won't stop
feeding regardless of how much they hurt or stunt
the plant. Fleas and mosquitoes seek the blood of 
pets and people; aphids seek the blood of your favorite
Rose bush or garden vegetable! This behavior lends itself
to many problems which stem from aphid populations
and these problems are all reasons why you should not
tolerate them in or around your garden and landscaped
plant life. Here are some of the more important outcomes
which result from aphid activity.
1) Aphids feeding will deplete the life blood of it's
host. This could mean death for any young developing
plant. Aphids won't control their behavior; instead
they will eat till the plant dies and then move on.
Though established trees and plants may be able to
endure the initial sap and nutrition withdrawal from
their system, it will none the less weaken them making
them vulnerable to many other problems and diseases.
2) Aphids will cause leaves to curl up and die. Mal-
nourished leaves won't look right when they don't 
receive the right amount of food and aphids feeding
will steal away some of the plants vital nutrients
needed by it's growing foliage.
3) Damaged leaves don't look good and may look bad all
season but most importantly, they may not serve the
plant well. Leaves which were designed to shelter and
protect the plant from the hot summers sun won't be
able to do so when curled up and brown. This will
put more stress on the plant making it vulnerable to
other problems. Furthermore, some leaves will look
bad all season long which takes away from the
aesthetic value a healthy, well manicured landscape
provides.
4) Aphids excrement is a material referred to as
Honeydew. This excrement is highly nutricous which
further documents the waste created by their 
activity. This honeydew will attract all kinds of
other insects which will literally farm it as food
for their developing colonies. More common insects
that will take advantage of local aphid populations
include ants and wasps. Once they start to prosper
they will eventually become a problem in and around
the home. A large percentage of the ant infestations
we are called upon to resolve is due to the fact
that the ants wanted to live there because the 
aphid population was so large providing good food
at some time. However, when the aphids leave for
new feeding areas the ants are left to fend for
themselves which is why the end up in the home.
Controlling those aphids early on in the season would
have prevented the ant infestations which are were
then able to develop.
5) This same Honeydew is both corrosive and fosters
fungus. Cars, furniture and structures are all susceptible
to the damage which honeydew will cause. This sap like
gel will stain and mar the finish of cars, plastic and
siding of homes and other buildings. Furthermore, the
Honeydew will allow certain fungus to grow which in
turn can discolor and stain surfaces or plants on which
it is growing.
6) Aphids serve as vectors of disease and will readily
transfer fungus and other pathogens from one tree or
plant to another. Their biting and piercing mouth
parts allow bacteria and other contaminates to be
passed on which exposes the disease to new plants.
Many of these plants cannot survive both the aphids
feeding and these new diseases they must contend with
which ultimately causes death.

   Since Aphids are such a common pest found throughout
the entire country, most people accept that they will
have them at some point in time. Furthermore, they accept
the damage the aphids will do and feel that this is part 
of having a garden and that there is nothing that can be
done to stop them. This defeatist attitude is not a
healthy one nor one which is in the best interest of
any plant you are attempting to grow. Most importantly,
there are many things that can be done both before and
after aphid activity is present.
   
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT APHIDS FROM STARTING????

   Aphid problems can be largely avoided by the use of
a product called APHID ALARM. This small round disc
releases a combination of natural biochemicals which 
work to disrupt the aphids day to day activity. Though
the discs won't drive the aphids away, it will cause
them to become disoriented, defensive and most important - 
not able to reproduce. By stopping the reproduction you
can stop colonies from further development. However,
they need to be in place before the aphids start feeding
and/or reproducing if you want to get the best results.
Place them out early in the growing season - preferably
just before spring officially starts. Since aphids 
will become active while it is still cold many people
have a tendency to wait too long before getting them
on plants they want to protect. Don't wait too long.
Get them affixed to any plant which has had aphid
problems in the past or any other plant which you want
to protect. Additionally, the use of APHID TRAPS can
prove to be big help. Their bright color will attract
females who are looking to lay eggs to start new
colonies. Set traps out on plants which you want to
protect and foraging aphids will readily be lured
onto the sticky glue which will trap and kill them.

WHAT CAN YOU DO ONCE YOUR PLANTS HAVE THEM???

   Fortunately, aphids are easy to kill. They are 
susceptible to many products but some work better
than others because of the way in which they work.
Though you can apply some Aphid Alarm to plants
which have activity, it will take at least 5-10
days to start working and even then it may never
get rid of all which are there. Clearly Aphid
Alarm works best when used before aphids are 
established and thriving. If you have waited too
long to apply them and you don't want the remedial
control the Traps have to offer, there are several
products which can be sprayed on the plants that
will offer immediate and sometimes long term control.

 LEAST TOXIC SPRAYS AND CHEMICALS FOR SENSITIVE PLANTS
   If you have sensitive plants or plants which have
suffered a lot of damage from the aphids feeding, you
may want to use a non-insecticidal product to spray
infested plants. INSECTICIDAL SOAP is such a product.
It is not an insecticide but in face a soap like
product which works by suffocating aphids. Though it
will work rapidly, Insecticidal Soap does not provide
any type of residual and will have to be applied
over and over throughout the growing season. Use one
of our PUMP SPRAYERS to make the applications and
be sure to get thorough coverage. One of the other
big limitations with this type of product is that it
won't kill aphids which aren't sprayed. Since aphids
have a tendency to hide on the underneath side of 
leaves and behind flower petals, they can easily
avoid direct contact. Once the treatment dried
they are able to forage back out without getting
hurt. Though Insecticidal Soap has it's place for
certain application needs, there are other options
which will work much faster, last longer and generally
present no hazard to the plant being treated.

            INSECTICIDAL DUSTS
   Dusting plants has long been a proven way to get
good coverage, good control and long lasting results.
The only drawback from this method is that it can be
somewhat unsightly. However, many people like the light
dust which is visible following any treatment because
the applicator is able to see that they got good
coverage. Knowing just where you sprayed can sometimes
be hard and takes a trained eye to see but anyone can tell
just where the dust has covered which insures no aphids
will avoid the application. DELTAMETHRIN DUST is a great product
to use for such applications. Apply it with either a
HAND DUSTER for small jobs or a DUSTIN MIZER for large
jobs. The Dustin Mizer has an optional Deflector which
works by angling the dust up towards the bottom side of
the plant which is where aphids like to hide. Deltamethrin Dust
will work quickly, leave a white visible dust where
applied and will last several weeks when applied properly.
It can be used on anything none edible and won't hurt
any plant - one of the key features of any dust.
   If you have fruit or vegetable plants you need to
treat, use PERMETHRIN DUST to treat them. Permethrin Dust
is just as effective but it won't last nearly as long. 
Most applications will break down in a few days which 
makes the product good to use when treating plants which
are growing crops that will be consumed in a short time.
Apply it with either a Hand Duster or the Dustin Mizer
to insure good coverage and don't waste your time using
Sevin Dust - in won't work well at all for aphids!

               SPRAYABLE CONCENTRATES
   Insecticide Concentrates which are mixed with water and
applied with a sprayer will offer the quickest and most
efficient control once you have aphid activity. There are
several things to consider when deciding just which one
to use and if you are not getting the desired results using
some of the more gentle approaches listed above, you should
consider any of these for fast elimination.
   If you need to treat some type of food producing plant
which will bear vegetables or fruit and you want the
strongest material available, use PERMETHRIN CONCENTRATE.
This odorless material can be sprayed directly on any
part of the plant and will last about 1 week per application
There will be a period following the application during
which you should not harvest the produce which is usually
about 7-14 days. If you don't have a sprayer or would like
something a little easier to apply, the CYONARA RTS
might be better suited for your needs. It too is a sprayable
concentrate but it comes in a handy "ready to spray" quart
jug. Just hook it up to your garden hose, turn it on and
your ready to go. It's odorless, very effective against
aphids and you get good coverage from each quart.
   If you are treating any other type of plant or tree, a
good product to use is CYFLUTHRIN. This will provide a quick
knockdown of existing aphids, last 2-4 weeks per application
and will go a long way. It too is odorless, won't hurt any
plant and is easy to use.
   The strongest material to use for aphids is a product
called BIFEN. This uses the latest generation of synthetic
pyrethrin is which is very active on aphids and goes a long
way as well. It will provide a quick knockdown, last
a long time so you don't have to apply it frequently and
will work on just about any problem pest on the plant.
   To apply any of these products, you will need to use
one of our SPRAYERS. Several will do the job and we are
sure to have one that will fit your application needs.

                  SPECIAL ADDITIVES
   These next two products are specialty products which
will both enhance the performance of Permethrin, Cyfluthrin
or Bifen and save the amount of time you spend doing
actual spraying. Keep in mind they should only be used with
one of these three concentrates which are sprayed. Also,
they are not applied separately. Instead, they are mixed with
the concentrate in the sprayer at the same time. If you 
want to get the best performance out of any spray application,
use these materials in the tank mix. They will enable any of
the concentrates to last longer, perform more completely and
do a better job.
   The first additive you should definitely use is called
SPREADER STICKER. This is almost a necessity when treating
for aphids. This is because aphids typically like to hide
on the bottom of leaves, under flowers and in any place
of the plant which will provide shelter from direct sun,
rain and predators. This natural instinctive behavior helps
to protect them from being directly sprayed. Unless you are
very careful, it is very easy to miss key locations of the
plant where aphids may be hiding. Since they tend to lock
onto certain parts of the host plant, they may not move
for some time so residual protection from the concentrate
being used won't solve this problem; if they don't walk
on treated surfaces of the plant they won't be affected
by the treatment. To help prevent this from happening,
Spreader Sticker should be mixed with the concentrate.
Spreader Sticker is a special agent which essentially
causes any spray mix to "spread" out when it lands on
targeted surfaces. This spreading out will help insure you
don't miss certain key areas where aphids may be hiding
and living. So good is this effect that leaves of
plants which are sprayed on top can get good coverage
on the bottom side even if the bottom of the leaf is
not specifically targeted. This is very important since
aphids will readily choose to live on the underside of
leaves and applying chemical there is critical to the
success of the treatment. The use of Spreader Sticker in
the tank mix will help insure a thorough treatment.
   The second additive which should be considered - though
not as important as the Spreader Sticker - is a growth
regulator known as NYLAR. This chemical is in the 
family of juvenile growth hormones. These types of 
chemicals are used to impact developing young so they
are not able to fully mature or grow up. Such products
are used quite successfully for ants, roaches, fleas
and other insects. In fact, there are several which have
been created for aphids but are only available in a very
large size. However, we do have the concentrate available
in smaller sizes which can be added to the tank mix much
like the Spreader Sticker. In fact, the best tank mix
you can create will include the Adulticide (either Permethrin,
Cyfluthrin or Bifen), Spreader Sticker and Nylar. This
combination would cover all bases and allow you to get the
most effect from your work. Not only would the adulticide
be killing off adult aphids but the spreader sticker would
be insuring the coverage is as complete as possible and
the Nylar would be working against any young preventing
them from becoming reproducing adults. For anyone which
has had a hard time controlling this pest, use this
formulation if you want to knock them out once and for
all.
   Make no mistake about aphids. They are a small and
fragile insect which are easy to kill but due to their
unique reproductive capabilities can present a persistent
and annoying pest in gardens and landscaping. Their chewing
and piercing mouthparts will cause stress and damage to
plant life which probably don't need this extra attention.
Disease can be spread by aphids, their honeydew excretions
will attract a lot of other insect pests in and around
the home and weakened plants will become that much more
susceptible to heat, drought and other stresses during
the growing season. For all these reasons and more you 
need to address aphid infestations with the intent to
eliminate and keep them away for good. Follow our guidelines
for preventing them by installing Aphid Alarms before
they are present along with some Aphid Traps. Once established
on plants, use Insecticidal Soap, Permethrin Dust or Permethrin
Concentrate on any sensitive or food plant which must
be treated. For non-produce plants and trees, use any
of the strong concentrates we have featured along with
some Spreader Sticker to get quick knockdown and long
residual. Add some Nylar if you want to break the aphid
cycle for good during the growing season.
   
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