Hello,
I was wondering what to do about my milkweed. I obviously grow it for my cats but last year tiny red/orange bugs I believe to be alphids beat them to it. Left none of the top so it never bloomed, and I didn't see anything else on them but the bugs. I just checked and I have a nice healthy crop coming in...what can I use to get the bugs off without harming the plant for the cats? Can you spray it with water/soap mix? I don't want to put anything on it that will taste bad to the cats. I know you guys have the answer.... :~)
Thanks ahead of time!
Milkweed Question
I've sprayed with the soap and water mixture. that seems to get rid of the bugs, at least temporarily.
I've only had MW one year... so far, no cats. but i'm hopeful.
I hope you get more this year! The first time I saw one on it I was shocked to see how big it was (the cat that is, lol). I watched it eat through a whole leaf...never paid my nosey self any attention.
But sadly, last year I never saw any. If I can keep the milkweed healthy I'll have some this year I know it. Even my neighbor's garden has butterfly plants in it and it borders my butterfly garden so...wow, lots this year.
Do you see more than one this year? This is my third year and now I have loads! Ok, like 7... ;0
the butterflies are not here yet. I usually do not see them til the summer.
I've had aphids so thick on milkweed they look like a blanket. All I ever did was spray with water. I'm talking about a burst spray, so you knock them off. Do it several times until they are gone. If you have ladybugs, put some on the plants. They will really eat a lot of the eggs, etc. and keep them in control. Now you have a dance to do, spray the aphids off, but keep the LB on! LOL Really, it works and won't ruin the taste of anything.
I am so surprised I have any aphids then! Our house gets invaded by hundreds of ladybugs every fall and no matter how much I vacuumed, they stay all year (inside, lol). We need new windows but that's another thread. I'm on a mission then, before the rest of them leave my house maybe I should capture some and give them food and warmth. Then when the Aphids come they can eat them, lol. I wonder why they didn't eat them last year. I have so many its crazy.....
It will be fun to blast them off I have to say! Thanks, nice and simple remedy!
How odd. When I visited a cousin in PA I witnessed those LB invasions, something totally unknown here. We feel blessed with every LB that stays in our garden. People buy and release them, but they often don't stay. Yes, the blasting is kind of fun, I agree! I was surprised how effective it is, too.
A Texas site, but it shows lots of bugs:
http://www.texasento.net/MWpix.htm
Buying them? Wow...did you know that when the government brought them over to fight aphids they didn't think of natural predators, which now the LB doesn't have. This is why there are so many of them; nothing eats the type that invades. Maybe I should collect them and give them away here for free! LOL. Of course, they invade in the fall which doesn't help my fellow gardeners!
They drive me nuts. And...I still have aphids, that's the really funny part! Thousands of LB and lots of aphids :~0
Linda, thank you for the links! That second site has a nice database and pictures! It's definitely the milkweed aphid! Now I have a plan of attack too.
Funny when you grow up with something that is one way, then find out somewhere else it's totally different. I was amazed when I saw the LBs at/in my cousin's house. I'll have to do some reading and find out if the ones we have are a different specie - I did notice different names when I looked at some photos.
Mishkas,
Send your LBs to me in the fall when you are done with them. I'll still have 2 months more of aphid season.;-)
Maggie
There were asian ladybugs brought in years ago and I believe that is the main problem with those that get in the house. It's too bad....like the imported fireants, they get out of control.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/br/lbeetle/
Oh yes...that's them! It is weird...where some things are plentyful others are not. Like selling snow and fall leaves on ebay. Around here of course they would laugh at you but somewhere else...$.
Maggie, Dmail me your info and you'll get tons, lol. I'm pumped....i have tons of milkweed coming up yppie!!!!!!!!!!
The last year I had my rose garden, I unknowingly planted several milkweed plants in another bed. My roses were completely aphid free that year. They were all on the milkweed! (Someone told me that it's two different kinds of aphids, but I find that hard to believe!)
This message was edited May 4, 2008 11:36 AM
I've heard that about aphids, too, Jo. Whatever, the lady bugs seem to like them.
Mishkas - coal to Newcastle comes to mind. Or selling pine straw in the Carolinas for mulch.