Aphid attack on my okra seedlings

[Kenzie]

I checked my okra plants today to find that some were wilted and looking a little sad. I just transplanted them from their little starter cells to bigger cups (I now know not to start okra indoors...#341 on my list of lessons learned in my first year)
So, I investigated only to find aphids (or what I believe to be aphids) on the undersides of the leaves! I had all the plants outside on the deck until a few days ago when we had some chilly nights...they must have gotten on them then.
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/KenzieMX3/Our%20House/garden/AphidAttack007.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/KenzieMX3/Our%20House/garden/AphidAttack009.jpg[/img]
I quickly moved all the okra away from the sunflower (yep, yet another on the list of "what not to start indoors") and cherry tomato seedlings and started checking them. So far, they look clean...BUT, I did find two of these guys on my tomatoes.
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/KenzieMX3/Our%20House/garden/AphidAttack003.jpg[/img]
I promptly squished them and then realized maybe they were eating the aphids and that's why the tomatoes aren't infested Please, someone tell me I'm wrong.

So what do I do?
Feel free to share any advice...as I said, this is our first year gardening.

[paul wheaton]

Ants - including the ones that can fly, will massage an aphid to get the plant sugar out of the aphid. Ants will even move aphids to other parts of the plant to get better sugar. And ants will fight off aphid predators. Getting rid of the ants would be the first step in getting rid of the aphids.

This is one of the big reasons to start your seeds outdoors. When you take something out of the eco system, then you take on the work of the eco system.

[Kenzie]

Thanks for the advice, I'm glad I did the right thing by squishing the ants

But now what can I do to get rid of the aphids?

[paul wheaton]

Squish them! And the green kind are the best, because after you have squished a bunch your thumb will be green and you can feign horticultural superiority! At least, until you wash your hands.

If you find out what aphid lions (ladybug larvae) look like, and you find a few in the wild, you can bring them to your place. They eat as much as ladybugs, but they have no wings!

[Kenzie]

No problem...hehehe
I'm hoping I can move them back outside tomorrow and get them in the ground on the 19th or the weekend after, depending on how the weathers lookin
I'll look out in the garage and carport tomorrow and see if I can at least find some lady bugs. If I do, I'll put a milk jug with the bottom cut out over the plants and put the ladybugs inside. Do you think that will work?

[Kenzie]

Shoot, I think the little black ants were actually two of these:
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLtUk-W5Gpk[/url]

Too late now

[paul wheaton]

That does look like a match!

I always thought they were much smaller!

[Kenzie]

It does look like they are a lot smaller in the video (maybe 1/3 the size or less) but it looks really close. I'll keep an eye out for more and try to get some better pics

[The Helpful Gardener]

Not just parasitic wasps, but syrphid fies, tachynid flies, lacewing larvae as well as lady bugs, would all do the job.

I do think that was a beneficial wasp, just younger than the one in the video (Aphids were bigger in the video too; later in the year, I'd think). Shame about those casulties; might have been the cavalry later on. But watcha gonna do?

Aphids are softbodied bugs, and just about anything kills them. I have rid small seedlings like this by dunking the plant (upside down; not the pot) in soapy water. Neem oil is also effective. Keep a eye out for survivors in about a week or so with either treatment, and dose again (or even better, alternate treatments...

Aphid lifecyclye is fascinating (if you find bugs fascinating; guilty )

[url]https://www.backyardnature.net/aphid_lc.htm[/url]

HG