Recognize aphids
Use the following characteristics to identify the pests:
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Appearance of the aphids
- little creatures, sometimes winged, sometimes wingless
- green, gray, yellow or brown bodies
- between 3 to 7 mm in size
- have a proboscis
Symptoms on the plant
- floury topping on the leaves (honeydew)
- Ants in the apartment
- small animals on the petioles and on the undersides of the leaves
- Leaves roll up
- yellow discoloration of the leaves
- Entering the plant
causes
The usual care mistakes are usually to blame for an aphid infestation. Weakened plants are particularly affected because they cannot muster enough strength on their own to repel the pests. This reduced immune defense is evidence of unfavorable location conditions. Possible maintenance errors are
- too high or low humidity
- wrong lighting conditions
- incorrect fertilization
- incorrect pouring behavior
Note: Aphids are sometimes brought in by new commercial plants.
activities
Fortunately, with early detection, it is possible to control the aphids with simple, biological means.
Beneficial insects
Beneficial insects are probably the most environmentally friendly and at the same time most effective method of controlling aphids on indoor plants. The little animals feed on the pests without harming the plant. However, you should adapt the site conditions to the needs of the pest controller. In stores you can get:
- Lacewing
- Hoverflies
- Flower bugs
- Parasitic wasps
- or gall mosquitoes
Shower off the plant
If the infestation is only low, it already helps to shower the plant. Aim the jet primarily on the underside of the leaves, as this is where the aphids are mainly located.
On the other hand, it is a bit tedious to manually pick the animals. However, if the affected plant is a very sensitive specimen that cannot tolerate excessive water, you are better off using this method.
Tips
You can also blow away the aphids with a blow dryer or wipe them off with a brush.
Nettle stock
This home remedy is made very simply:
- Dip 100 g of nettles in 1 liter of water.
- Boil the water and let it cool down well.
- Let the liquid steep for two days.
- Sieve off the leaves.
- Spray the brew onto the leaves with a squeeze bottle.
Tips
Again, you should primarily treat the underside of the leaves. Can't find any nettles? Alternatively, a spray solution based on neem or rapeseed oil can also be used.
Yellow boards
Sometimes aphids are even able to fly. In this case, yellow stickers from specialist retailers save you the trouble of collecting them yourself. Hang up the yellow signs close to the plant. As soon as the animals ascend, they stick to a sticky film. You should therefore change your yellow stickers after a while.
