Aphids are masters of camouflage. Sometimes it's REALLY hard to see them even though you KNOW they're there. If you see one, though, rest assured, there are more.
Try this simple test when the pepper foliage is dry:
You'll need
(1) a black plastic spoon -- I got them from the grocery store ready-made food bar.
(2) a broad soft natural watercolor paint brush -- the one I'm using is #20=20mm wide. I've tried acrylic paint brush too. It works but are stiffer. I like the softer watercolor brush better because you can REALLY get in among the tender new budding leaves and flower buds without damaging them or breaking them off.
Holding the spoon with one hand, position the bowl of the spoon below a budding leaf or flowerbud cluster. Take the paint brush and stroke the leaves and buds. Use a jigging motion like you're digging tiny things out from between the new buds, then use upward strokes up the stem and flick at the buds.
Now, maybe it's just MY peppers, but every few days, I do this and find AMAZING number of aphids. At this point, you can just spray with soapy water or continue to brush off the aphids and squish them in the bowl of the spoon. Sometimes, I find it kind of rhythmical and hypnotic... or maybe I'm just getting obsessive....
MAKE SURE to thoroughly clean the brush (I just rub the bristles on my pantleg
after each bud cluster or you might have hidden passengers in the brush that you're actually spreading to other bud clusters.Sometimes I joke to my kids that I'm collecting spoonfuls of aphids to feed to them.
It's become a kind of a game -- I say "OK, who wants the next spoonful? I've got green ones and red ones.... or "I only have red ones in this one." ...and the kids respond by screaming and making yukky faces. :LMFAO: