I've heard of them being bad but never here. I had an aphid problem so bad on my crepe myrtles this year ( I didnt know CM's were attractive to aphids). I had noticed the leaves turing yellow and dropping but thought it was from no water (hadn't rained in a long time) then when I rode by them on the lawnmower, I noticed all these yellow jackets buzzing around. I got off the lawnmower and took a close look and they were COVERED with aphids. I have 6 in the front and 3 more in the back yard and they were covered too.
I tried spraying to no avail. It took me 11 water hoses to reach all six of the CM's in the front yard to spray them with water and try to get them off. I know people going by thought I was nuts but I didn't care. I was on a mission! I couldn't keep up with them that way either. I watched as my trees turned black from the mold from the "dew droppings". My neighbor across the street has 11 in her front yard (we bought ours the same time so they'd match on both sides of the street) she hasn't had one problem! She hasn't done anything but avoid hitting them with the mower. I fertilzed mine in early spring, pruned at the proper time,checked on them from time to time ... go figure.
I guess I need to go over to the tree& shrub forum and see if they have any suggestions ugh?
