Aphids 🐛
Family Aphididae
At a glance
- Looks like: Clusters of tiny soft, pear-shaped insects (green, black, yellow, or pink)
- Tell-tale sign: Dense colonies on new growth and buds; sticky leaves; ants
- Severity: Moderate — multiply fast but easy to knock back
How to identify
Small (1–3 mm), soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects that cluster on the tenderest new growth, flower buds, and leaf undersides. Colors vary (green, black, grey, yellow, pink). They reproduce extremely fast. Signs include curled or distorted new leaves, sticky honeydew (and black sooty mold), shed white “skins,” and ants patrolling the plant to farm them.
Damage
Sap feeding distorts and stunts new growth; honeydew fouls leaves; some aphids spread plant viruses. Outdoors they’re usually kept in check by predators.
Treatment (least-toxic first)
Following Integrated Pest Management:
- Physical: A strong spray of water dislodges most of a colony — repeat every couple of days. Squash or prune small infestations.
- Encourage / protect predators (outdoors): Lady beetles, lacewings, and syrphid flies devour aphids. Plants like California Buckwheat support these beneficials.
- Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil: Effective on contact; coat the colonies, repeat weekly.
- Control ants: They protect aphids from predators, so manage ant trails too.
Prevention
Avoid over-fertilizing (lush, soft growth attracts them). Inspect new growth in spring. Outdoors, support a healthy beneficial-insect population rather than spraying broadly.
Affects (in this guide)
Peace Lily · tender new growth on natives like California Sagebrush (rarely needs action outdoors)