Teaching watering is one thing, aphid control another!

[mrpaulbradley]

Mentioned before that I'd been away with work for a couple of weeks. Ensured my fifteen-year-old son was aware of watering regime (not necessary as it rained constantly) but have returned to a really bad infestation of aphids on my indoor chilli plants. The worst I've ever seen actually. I think they're beyond redemption sadly.

Prevention is better than cure I suppose and it's a learning process. I've learned I need to stay home more often and more time with my family just outside of it!

[Hillwalker]

The last 3 days have been very still and close here, perfect for greenfly - we've got masses of them in the garden. Getting worried about the imminent outcome, think I'll buy one of those electric bug bats to try and thin them down.

[Vagetarian]

I also have a bit of an aphid infestation. I have just bought and released some lacewing larvae and I'm noticing increased amounts of ladybirds and hoverflies, which also prey on aphids. You might want to check up on the larval stages of all 3 insects so you don't inadvertently squash them thinking they're pests, especially hoverfly larve which can look like caterpillars/slugs. All 3 eat hundreds and hundreds of aphids.

I also began noticing aphids which look like they've exploded and become stuck to the leaves with their own white goo, these are in fact aphids from which parasitic wasp larvae have recently hatched. Incidentally, you can purchase parasitic wasps for indoor/greenhouse aphid control.

[mrpaulbradley]

Yup Vagetarian I've fancied trying biological controls for a while. Haven't seen much in the way of ladybugs or hoverflies in my garden this year funny enough....
I just refuse to spray with anything other than a dilute solution of soapy water.

[Jamesy_uk]

I kid you not on sunday my back garden was so thick with greenfly I had to put a cheesecloth over my mouth cause i breathed in 4-5 of them before i noticed. I went out monday morning and every spiders web was a mass of greenfly it was crazy stuff.

[buzzingtalk]

I bought some ladybird larvae which didnt do anything for a while, but yesterday there were 3 different types of ladybird on one plant (to be fair, there are none on my other plants apart from 2 big red ones) on this plant there was a red and black one, a black with red spots (the ones i bought were this colour) and a white spot on black one...pretty interesting.

However much fun they are to look at though, there are still tons of aphids on my plants so they are not doing a great job so far! i ended up moving my indoor, hand pollinated chillis outdoors from my bedroom as it became unbearable to pick them off, a few of the chillis might not survive the attack but im giving them a second chance outdoors...