Is it just my garden or...

Is everybody noticing gazillions of aphids this spring?!
I spend about an hour walking around squishing the stinkers with my fingers every day!

They first came out about 3 weeks ago, and I put out the ladybugs at night. Maybe it was still too cold, but they took off first thing!!
Then I tried spraying them with the hose, applying soapy water, but now I'm just squishing, and squishing !

My fingers are permanently brown from it!!!

Do you all have them too, or what brings them here?

Some help would cheer me up!

Christie

I've got an overabundance of them here too. I haven't taken to squishing them yet though. I know they're small and don't squirt blood or anything but it still gives me the heebie-jeebies.

My aphid warfare tactics begin and end with the shotgun setting on my soapy water bottle and the occassional blast from the cannon (usually referred to as a "garden hose" by those not fighting wars with insects).

The ladybugs are trying to catch up! I've had a gazillon aphids too! First you got to kill the ants that are farming the aphids. Then you can use dish soap like Gardensox, or wait for the beneficial bugs to finish hatching out. They seem to be late this spring. There will be plenty for the babies to eat. See photo of the lady bug and the nympths that will turn into ladybugs. Always happy to see them.
WIB,
SW

That's a great picture! I've never seen a ladybug before it was a full grown ladybug!

GardenSox, me too until last year. The nymphs were all over my back patio and furniture last year and my reaction was Oh Yuck. In the middle of smashing many of them the light went on and I realized what they were. They are now all over the greenbelt and I am trying to educate the children in the greenbelt what they are and should not be smashed. But the ladybugs are really late this year.

Noticed that here too, skwinter.
WIB,
SW

Hey SingingWolf, I love your "tag" and your sign off. I was so embedded in the corporate world I didn't even think when I signed up. Just wanted you to know.

I get that a lot. One of my names is SingingWolf. I answer to it as readily as I do my other names. My name was gifted to me by a Cherokee Clan Grandmother. I value it, it is a part of me. I wanted to keep it simple, when I joined DG. Yes, I am part Cherokee, and also part Kickapoo. Mostly I yam what I yam.
No offense taken, as I said I get that a lot. I'm sure none was meant either.
Pay attention to your bugs, they can tell you a lot about the weather. That is how our ancestors did it after all.
WIB,
SW

Yahoo, I have those nymphs and didn't know what they were !!!! Thank you SW - I'm glad I didn't squish them. We seem to have alot of ladybugs, I had a ton of clover they seemed to love to crawl around in... I've pulled most of it now tho, hope they stick around.

Grrrr! The aphids are EVERYwhere, and my neighbours just can't be bothered to treat the problem on their end!

I bought praying mantids casings. Let's see if they eat well!

CC

You can also buy ladybugs! ^_^
Glad the photo helped. Mine were living on fiddleneck which to me is a wild flower, but others consider it a weed. No accounting for taste.
Sorry about your neighbors, mrs_colla. Try killing off the ants. They milk the aphids. Hope that your praying mantids feast!
WIB,
SW

Be careful with the praying mantises. I did that, then later found out they get so big out here, they will actually catch and eat small bird - including hummers! I stick with ladybugs and lacewings, and the good old-fashioned icky squishing, LOL.

jkom, is that true??!!! Eat birds? You must be kidding this poor foreigner!
I might try ladybugs again.... they didn't stick around last time I used them, unlike all other times before!

CC

Brrrr! Just found this; http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyardbirds/hummingbirds/mantis-hummer.aspx
humming meal!

Oh, nooooo! How awful. Mother Nature at one of the ugly times. :-(

I've seen that before, it is SHOCKING ! Although I have never seen a mantis get that big ! We had a smart little fella (mantis) hang out on our porch all last summer, fun to watch him

OMG! That is......whoa! Strangely, I have a mysterious lack of aphids this spring. The Callas are usually totally infested, but not right now. I'm worried they're going to bombard me at any second. We have been putting borax out for the ants during the winter months. They really were crossing the line, getting into everything despite all cleaning, sweeping, mopping, cinnamon oil.

wonder, now I know why I have so many---they came over the hill from YOUR yard...LOL!

I have a lot of nymphs in my garden this year and they ate all of the aphids on my Carpet Roses. I actually have a ton of lady bugs this year. They are in my pool so I fish them out and put them in garden. The ants and aphids are horrible this year. I am not sure how to kill the ants without hurting nature? I also some some lacewings in my front yard. I have been gardening for two years and the first year I bought a ton on insecticide, which cost a tiny fortune. Last year I decided to let nature take care of my problems and I went organic. I barley had any aphids and the ladybugs were happy and fat. This year I am planning the same. To get rid of a aphids I give them a fast jet stream of water from the hose, it works for a while until the ladybugs come. It's amazing that these little critters take care of my garden. I also get dragon flies to eat the mosquitos. The ladybugs and dragon flys seem to like pink Guara and Purple Fountain Grass. Lacewings tend hand out with the Hybiscus flowers. I love Mother Nature!

Now if only I could find a pet Horny Toad to eat the ants, I'd really be happy. I pour mint flavored mouthwash down their ant holes. It helps me. Also along trails they use and at the base of the hummer feeders. Depends on the kinds of ants. Others have had limited success with the mouthwash. You may need to re apply more than once for a well established nest.
I have mosquito fish, which you can get from vector control for the mosquito larvae.
Mother Nature is pretty wonderful.
WIB,
SW

I have done it, I am guilty.... I have been squishing Mother Nature's helper... The Soldier bugs are here, and I find them all over my roses. I thought I was helping my roses by making squish rounds every day, it turns out the beetles have probable done more good than I have!
I went looking for these bugs because I saw so many of them, and it turns out they are on my side!!!! From now on I will investigate before I use my fingers on any bug!

Soldier Beetles, what an appropriate name!

mrs-colla : You are now officially on probation and have been reported to Bug Huggers of America.
Be afraid, be very afraid.

My poor Mother, bless her heart, is turning in her grave.... I brought shame on my family... But I am reformed now!
I will take my guitar outside to serenade for my little assasins as they eat aphids!

JasperDale, you scared me! :-)

I love it!

What does a solider bug look like?

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2008/04/04/soldier-beetle/

http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/1926

http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4GGIC_enUS306&q=Podabrus%20pruinosus&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi

There is a bug huggers group of america? LOL!
I'm not scared, probably would be a charter member! ^_^
WIB,
SW

Thanks for the photos. I have to say, I have never seen them in my garden

I found this little lady protecting my lettuce when I went out to harvest some for my tun-ey sandwich yesterday...

Small but mighty!!! :-)

Got to love them!
LOL!
WIB!
SW

The aphids this year have been much more manageable, the soldier bugs are working hard!!!

Having trouble with too many ants this year. Aphids are sure to follow. ACCKK!
WIB~
SW

SW!! THOSE are ladybug nymphs?! I've seen them before but never knew what they were. I want some, I want some. May I have some, too?

Linda, Olivia, and here's Eddie

Okay, I'm lost. I know what ants look like and I know what ladybug nympths look like, but I have a problem with ants and aphids. Not ladybug nympths. Please help me understand, 'cause I'm really confused about your last post, Twincol.
Ladybugs and their nympths are good bugs, and I don't harm them or praying mantis', or any snakes either. I even carry spiders out of the house.
I am allergic to ants, and between the stinky ants, the harvester ants, and the carpenter ants, I am surrounded.
The Mint mouthwash only works for a week or two then needs to be reapplied. Still haven't found the diazanon, and no one is selling Sevin powder these days. Sigh.
Oh well.
WIB!
SW

Oh, silly! I was referring to your post of 4/15!! Little Ladybug nymphs. Cute things that they are.

Linda

I haven not killed one soldier bug since I learned what they were. Not much aphids any more, and the picture shows why!

What is that - and is it a good bug?

Looks like a good bug. I'll keep my eyes open mrs_cholla. If I'm lucky I'll find some. Did have a nice crop of ladybugs and occasionally see one around. Rarely do I see the praying mantis' but I have seen them.
Thanks for sharing that photo, it'll really help me to ID the soldier bug. : - )
WIB!
SW

It is the soldier bug we talked about earlier in this thread. They eat aphids like NOBODY else! Woohoo!!!