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Panic

1634 Racine1634 Racine Posts: 568
in Problem solving

Help!

I have a number of cannas and dahlias that I have started off in my conservatory.  They have been given a bit of outside time now and again but spend most of their time inside.

Inspecting the plants today I had found a large number of critters who have attached themselves to the emerging canna and underside of the dahlia leaves.

Do I need to be worried about these guys?  I seem to have the whole range from green to white to black and white stripe!  Sorry about the quality of photos (I am still having a problem with the photo uploader).

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jSYKhDWU5MDlTLxjlFW3FJFnl2wT47BF6HjNZj0u9Zc=w155-h207-p-no

 

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/u5o-tzq0yGSCImJQCc4lSKsQiP-kPhbm4Y3iYohxQuE=w155-h207-p-no

4

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iPxdYqMOR7svDIgvI1svhtLCw9wosMwRoslzrttLpMQ=w155-h207-p-no

 

 

Posts

  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,697
    They look like aphids. The green ones are greenfly but I have no idea what the striped ones are. They suck the sap of the plant and can transmit viruses between plants so you need to get rid of them ASAP.
  • 1634 Racine1634 Racine Posts: 568

    Thanks Ceres.  I am willing to do whatever it takes to protect my plants image

    How can I deal with these invaders?

  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,697
    This will give you the options. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=181



    Squishing them is a good if you spot a few but it sounds as though you already have quite an infestation.
  • 1634 Racine1634 Racine Posts: 568

    I'm not normally a fan of using chemicals but if it comes to it I may have to go down that route.

    First things first I can going to try and remove as many as possible by hand or washing.  They I think I might begin to harden off my plants to see if I can get some natural predators interested.

    Thanks for the link Ceres.  Any other advice is more than welcome.

  • Flora rosaFlora rosa Posts: 262

    Buy ladybird / lacewing larvae from the green gardner (online) and when arrive put them directly on these plants, aphids won't last long 

  • 1634 Racine1634 Racine Posts: 568

    Ladybird larvae purchased.  Can't wait to unleash them. Funniest thing is that Mrs Racine can't stand ladybirds.  I find this very strange.

     

  • Alan4711Alan4711 Posts: 1,657

    HI 1634 I have just got the same on African Violets, if poss spray or wash  most off and then spray with a warm water washing up liquid mix ,it will suffocate the critters, works for me .good luck.  

  • 1634 Racine1634 Racine Posts: 568

    Cheers Alan.  I have washed as many off as possible today but it wasn't possible to get them all.  I'm also going to give the plants some outside time tomorrow in the hope that a few predator critters fancy a meal.

  • sanjy67sanjy67 Posts: 1,007

    if you have ants on the plants as well as the aphids make sure you get rid of them (ants) before releasing your ladybirds as the ants eat the sweet secretions from the greenfly etc, the ants are the prison guards in charge of the aphid prisoners and will defend them against the ladybirds. 

     

  • 1634 Racine1634 Racine Posts: 568

    No sign of ants yet.  I will keep an eye out for them though.

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