Little Green Monsters

The weather has been much better in the last few weeks with very little rain and quite a lot of sunshine. Hedgerows are in full leaf and herbaceous plants are bursting into life. I was just admiring my Aquilegia ‘Nora Barlow’ with their beautifully frilly mop head flowers and a newly planted rose which was producing lovely plump flower buds. On closer inspection however, I discovered another party who were also thoroughly enjoying them – aphids.

Aphids, or greenfly, are fat, greedy, sap-sucking mites which reproduce with amazing speed. Contrary to their name, they do not only come in green. They, and their relations, may also be red, black or white.

If you think a plant has wilted due to lack of water, look carefully, because it may have wilted for another reason. Once I realised the aphids had taken hold in the locality, I looked at a neighbouring pot of pansies (also their favourite) and discovered that the plants were wilting as a result of having their sap sucked out. But just as my heart was starting to sink, I suddenly discovered a hero in the piece – baby ladybirds. These little creatures are totally unrecognisable compared to the adult ladybird. Far from being red & shiny with black spots, the baby is a larva: spiky and black with yellow markings. It must be said, they aren’t the prettiest of babies, but they eat many times their weight in aphids, so if you find any on your plants, be very grateful.

On another plant loaded with aphids, I also discovered some lacewings. These creatures also eat aphids, and I sometimes wonder how many of them are killed by gardeners thinking they are greenfly, because they are green and only slightly bigger than an aphid, but they have long wings protruding out towards the back, so they are easily recognised once you know them.

There are many pesticides on the market, both organic and inorganic. There are nematodes which are live predators which will eat pests such as slugs. However, they are quite expensive and only tend to work in small areas, such as a greenhouse or conservatory, and once the pest has been eaten, the nematode will die out. Inorganic chemicals in pesticides are no longer very environmentally acceptable, and in the process of killing off the baddies, you will probably be killing off the good guys too. Some organic pesticides contain a substance which blocks the breathing pores of the pest, but again, you cannot guarantee to save the goodies from an undeserved death.

One of the easiest and quickest methods is to simply rub the aphids off the stems of plants. By the time I would have fetched a bottle of something nasty, I could have cleared the plant of the pest, and I can be more selective, saving the lacewings and ladybirds from meeting an unnecessary end. If you do choose this method, be sure not to damage any young flower buds. If you can’t bear to touch the little monsters, a jet of water from a hose will also help to dislodge them.

Keep an eye on any plants which you know to be susceptible. Check them quickly every day if possible. These beasts tend to arrive very suddenly and can do untold damage in a very short time. In order not to kill off the goodies, get photographs of lacewings and baby ladybirds and memorise their features. If you know who your friends are and look after them well, you won’t go far wrong.