HelpfulGardener.com

Hi,
my two plants - Snapdragon & Dwarf petunia have these insects & larva on leaves.... they are soo many. The larva are green and keep sitting while I think the older ones fly as well.... Do I need to worry. I first saw them in my snapdragon and yesterday on dwarf petunia. these plants have never been together but then my patio is quite small. Should I throw away these plants? Snapdragon I m willing to throw but petunia I have grown from seed and they are healthy and I m now waiting for them to flower.....but if it is problem then I will throw this one away as well.... I dnt want other plants to have these insects- IF they will harm my plants.
Below is the photo:

[img]https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xZzcZqjm-Oc/S_AnTWNqyMI/AAAAAAAAAbg/ELkspussruw/s1600/insects.JPG[/img]

Fixed the code (don't leave any spaces between the beginning and ending codes and the image link).

A TAD blurry but I think whiteflies. Sometimes, when I'm feeling lazy and the pests are congregating, I just clip off the infested leaf/shoot and toss -- sometimes in the compost pile.

Throw away the plants? That's a bit drastic and only if completely infected and other measures have not been successful AND I'm way too frustrated to care.

This would be a good time to use strategic sprays of water to rinse those little guys off before they start munching on the leaves.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

applestar wrote:Fixed the code (don't leave any spaces between the beginning and ending codes and the image link).

A TAD blurry but I think whiteflies. Sometimes, when I'm feeling lazy and the pests are congregating, I just clip off the infested leaf/shoot and toss -- sometimes in the compost pile.

Throw away the plants? That's a bit drastic and only if completely infected and other measures have not been successful AND I'm way too frustrated to care.

thanks applestar.... no wonder attaching imge was a problem this time-will take care not to leave gaps.

I did a quick google search..... learnt about aphids etc...hope these are not those. I dnt have a good camera and this was the best shot.... these r small white and green insects! I am worried they might kill my tomatoes and other plants.... I have clipped off the infected leaves. Hope they dnt spread any further.
Below is the photo of the infected plant...why r these leaves turning yellow? I water it very carefully! Could these pests be the reason?

[img]https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xZzcZqjm-Oc/S_AvA7GWsII/AAAAAAAAAbo/Qxte4Rjy2-c/s1600/DSCN7040.JPG[/img]

Try getting someone to help you hold the plant. Then turn it different ways to get at the leaves really well, with your used dish water. That should kill the bugs. I would think that is definately making your plant look like that. Make sure you get under the leaves really good. Don't saturate the soil.

Once you managed to kill all the aphids, spray the whole plant with water only to rince all the pores on the leaves so that they are not blocked with dish soap.

They are aphids, but controlling aphids is really easy. I just spray them off the plant with plain water from my garden hose.

If you want to use soap spray, Green Mantis has given you good instructions. Be careful to read the label on whatever you're going to use as "soap." Dishwashing liquid is usually detergent, and detergents can burn the leaves. Use a good, pure soap. I like Dr. Bronner's for this purpose, but any good Castile soap will work.

You have to repeat the spray every 5 to 7 days, in case the insects laid eggs on the plant. Repeating the spray kills any new ones that hatch out. A series of 4 or 5 sprayings is usually sufficient, but you'll need to repeat the whole process when they return ... which they will. Aphids are very common. That's why I just spray all my plants down with plain water when I see too many aphids starting to accumulate.

A healthy plant can support some pests without suffering harm, and most materials used to kill insect pests will also kill any beneficial insects that are preying on the pests.