Mystery Bugs

[amelia23]

Hi there everyone,

I was hoping for some help for the indoor herbs my boyfriend and I are growing. We have some unidentified bugs on our lemon balm, which up until now has had successful growth. They seem to be white, spider-looking bugs. However I have looked up photos of spider mites and they don't match description. Our sage and rosemary plants which are nearby seem to be unaffected thus far.

Anyone have any ideas on what these might be, if they're unhelpful bugs, and if so how to get rid of them?

Just some info about the area where we're growing it: partial light, right by a window, with the assistance of a grow light nearby. We live in Northeastern Nova Scotia, Canada.

Thanks in advance! See photo below:

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v392/youmademeink/DSCF0206.jpg[/img][/img]

[applestar]

It's very hard to see, but I'm thinking they might be aphids. Are the "white" ones moving? When aphids molt, they leave behind white bug-shaped empty shells. Try soft watercolor paint brush. I use a dry one to get aphids out of delicate flowers and tender growing tips and one dipped in mild SOAPY water solution (NOT DETERGENT!) to brush off the ones on leaves. On my plants, they range from every shade of green (very hard to see) to brick red. For heavier infestation, you can spray all over with mild soapy water in the sink then rinse the entire plant (if you have a sprayer in the kitchen sink or a hand-held shower, they're very useful).

FYI - I like using Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Liquid soap for washing my produce and for treating edible herbs, etc.

[amelia23]

Perfect recommendation, thank you - we thought they might be aphids, which is a lot better than spider mites, to be sure. We have a couple unused water colour brushes so I'll give this a shot.

How harmful are aphids to plants, if you know? Clearly I am a bit green at this--excuse the terrible pun.

[joshbuchan]

aphids are small plant-eating insects, very harmfull, they are among the most destructive insect.

[SP8]

aphids are small plant-eating insects, very harmfull, they are among the most destructive insect.

that's a bit misleading.

Unlike what it says on WIkipedia ( ), Aphids don't eat plants per say like caterpillars do for example.

Aphids passively feed by tapping into the stems and leaves of plants during which time the plant's sap (being naturally under pressure within the plant) is forced into the aphid.

I've had heaps of trouble with aphids and just after you think you've gotten rid of them it isn’t uncommon to turn around and see a bunch of ants re-seeding your plants with some fresh aphids from a different area.

The ants feed on the goo that comes out the back of the aphids.

Yummy.....