Latest news with #aphids
The Sun
2 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Pro garden designer reveals 69p hack that will kill green flies without using any nasty chemicals to harm your plants
IF your garden is looking a bit of a mess and you want to ensure it looks fresh, you've come to the right place. It turns out that there's a nightmare pest that may be living in your garden - and it could be the reason why your grass and plants are ruined. 2 2 Aphids are extremely common and can impact plant growth. They have tiny soft pear-shaped bodies, and are usually green or black. You may spot them clustered on the stem of soft shoots – look under leaves in particular – or may find a sticky substance on your plants that gives away aphids have been there sucking at the sap. But while there's no need to be alarmed, it's best to identify the problem as soon as possible - and luckily, a gardening whizz has come to rescue with a wallet-friendly solution. Speaking on her podcast, The Ins & Outs, Pollyanna Wilkison responded to a listener who had written into the show how to banish the common pest from their birch tree. The gardening designer said: ''We're getting a lot of questions about how to get rid of aphids and it's a tricky one. ''Because on the one side, I want to say to you aphids are actually amazing forage for loads of really important insects - ladybugs, hoverflies, parasitoid wasps all eat aphids. ''They will be eaten by these guys if you leave them alone.'' However, if you're dealing with ''an absolute infestation'', there's something you can use - and it's already in your kitchen. According to Pollyanna, green-fingered Brits can use washing-up liquid - which you can snap up for around 65p from your local s upermarket. The £14.50 Wickes buy people are swearing by to get rid of weeds on their driveway for GOOD She explained in the podcast: ''The best thing you can do is put some washing-up liquid in a spray bottle and spray everything. ''That's not going to hurt anything. ''Whatever they breathe through, it blocks it and then they die.'' Keep pests out all summer IF you want to ensure that your home is pest free this summer, here's what you need to know. Hornets and wasps - hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay. Moths - acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent. Flying ants - herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents. Mosquitoes - plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mozzies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass. ''We're not here for the pesticides - the washing-up liquid will do it absolutely fine.'' The gardening whizz also recently shared the common decoration she hates - hanging baskets. 'Hate them. I effing hate hanging baskets. 'And the reason I hate them is much the same reason that I hate small pots.' She shared the first reason for this is that she doesn't think they are 'very attractive as a vessel.' Pollyanna explained on the episode: 'You can tend to see the plastic inside because it's got a plastic liner, because otherwise, obviously the water is going to go through. 'And I don't like seeing plastic in the garden. 'And also the body of soil that a hanging basket holds - unless it's those amazing ones outside the Ritz, which are just the most extraordinary thing I've ever seen, but those are the sides of a beach ball - it's just, it's this tiny little dish of mud.'
The Sun
5 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Gardening pro reveals three household items that will keep pests away – and one is lurking in your food bin
SPENDING more time outside as the weather warms up is one of the best parts of summer. But as the sun comes out, so do common garden pests. 2 2 That doesn't mean you have to stay inside though, and it definitely doesn't mean your plants need to suffer. The gardening experts at Yel l have put together their top tips for deterring common garden pests that can appear all year round - and they're easier than you might think. Use garlic to keep green flies off your plants Green and black flies, commonly known as aphids in the gardening world, can be found on both indoor and outdoor plants. While a few aphids may not cause significant damage, large numbers crawling on stems or a sticky residue left on your plants could indicate a problem. Garlic contains allicin, a sulphur compound that repels insects and may also act as a natural antifungal agent. If you'd prefer not to have the smell of garlic in your garden, you can mix a few drops of washing-up liquid with water in a spray bottle and apply it to affected plants. This can help remove and deter aphids effectively. Aphids are also drawn to nitrogen-rich fertilisers, so it's important not to over-fertilise your plants, as this can make them more attractive to these pests. Use cupboard staples to get rid of garden ants If ants are causing problems in your garden or finding their way into your home, some of the best natural deterrents involve strong citrus scents Lemon is a particularly effective method; you can mix lemon juice with water and spray it around ant trails to keep them away. My 3 favorite plants to repel pests from your vegetable garden - they're pretty and will increase your harvest too Another scent they dislike is peppermint oil, which can be used in a similar way by mixing a few drops with water and spraying affected areas. Other common household staples like vinegar, sugar, and baking soda can also be useful when tackling ants in the garden. Mixing equal parts of vinegar and water creates a natural repellent. Coffee grounds and eggshells could help keep slugs away from plants While snails and slugs are common in gardens across the UK, they can cause significant damage to garden plants. Slug pellets are not recommended, as they can be harmful to other wildlife in your garden. Although manually searching for and removing slugs is effective, it can be time-consuming. You could consider planting flowers that slugs tend to avoid, such as foxgloves, geraniums, and lavender, all of which are thought to be less attractive to slugs. Other deterrent methods include adding crushed eggshells, copper tape, or coffee grounds around your plants to act as a barrier. Coffee also contains nutrients beneficial to soil health, making it a dual-purpose solution. To protect specific plants, place eggshells around the base of the plant's soil to prevent slugs from reaching the leaves. Natural ways to deter rats from your garden, including citronella oil and onions Essential oils like citronella and eucalyptus are also effective. You can use outdoor citronella candles, or soak cotton wool balls or tissues in the oils and place them around the garden. Alternatively, mix the oils with water and spray them in areas where rodents are likely to appear. Other strong-smelling food items that rats typically avoid include onions, garlic, and vinegar. The smell is thought to be off-putting to them. You can place small quantities of these in areas across your garden. Onions, in particular, contain sulphur compounds that can irritate a rat's eyes and nose. While it's unlikely a rat would consume a large amount, large quantities can be toxic if digested, so it's safest to use small slices around your garden. IF you want to ensure that your home is pest free this summer, here's what you need to know. Hornets and wasps - hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay. Moths - acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent. Flying ants - herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents. Mosquitoes - plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mozzies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass.
The Guardian
10-05-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Aphids plaguing UK gardens in warm spring weather, says RHS
Aphids are plaguing gardeners this spring due to the warm weather, with higher numbers of the rose-killing bugs expected to thrive in the UK as a result of climate breakdown. The sap-sucking insects have topped the ranking of gardener queries to the Royal Horticultural Society, with many of its 600,000 members having complained of dozens of aphids on their acers, roses and honeysuckle plants. They thrive in warm, dry weather, exacerbated by climate breakdown. Additionally, they can be killed off by frost, and the change in weather patterns is making frost less regular. Hayley Jones, the principal entomologist at the RHS, said: 'Climate change and more pronounced warm spells in many parts of the country could be a boon for some of the 500 species of aphid found in the UK, but there are other factors at play, including predator populations, the effect of climate change on general plant health and temperature swings and extremes.' Aphids are also spreading to plants they never used to feed on in the UK. The RHS is calling on gardeners to support research into an aphid that has only recently affected buddleia, causing distinctive distortion to the leaves. It is asking the public to submit information on the RHS website to help map its spread. There are more than 500 species of aphid found in UK gardens, and they are commonly known as blackfly, greenfly and plant lice. They can be red, yellow, black, green, brown or pink insects and feed by sucking sap from plants. They can significantly harm their host plants, causing death in some circumstances, but also cause distorted growth, sooty mould and can transmit plant viruses. Aphids, despite causing annoyance to many gardeners, are an important part of the garden food chain, and are fed on by birds, earwigs, ladybirds and other larger insects. However, when their population booms and there are not enough predators, they can get out of control and cause visible damage to plants. This is happening this spring, the RHS says, which recommends manual removal while predator numbers catch up. The charity is also finding environmentally friendly ways to manage aphids as does not recommend using harmful pesticides. One RHS trial involves growing poached egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii) alongside cabbages to determine if this encourages predatory hoverfly larvae, and installing earwig shelters in the RHS Garden Wisley orchard. The results are expected next year and, if successful, the RHS will encourage widespread use of these methods. Jones added: 'Aphid biology means they are well-placed to make the most of a warm spring; aphids are a bit like Russian dolls, being born pregnant with the next generation so their populations can bloom rapidly. 'Understanding how they can be managed through simple planting choices or encouragement of natural predators will help minimise damage and potential plant losses while maintaining a healthy garden ecosystem.'
The Guardian
08-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Country diary: In praise of the ‘low-value' sycamore tree
Sunbeams flicker through the translucent young foliage of the sycamore canopy overhead. A shadow darts among them: a blackcap, pecking aphids from the underside of the leaves. The insects hatched from overwintering eggs in early April, congregating on loosening bud scales, waiting for tender new leaves to unfurl. Now there are legions of them, aligned along leaf veins, hypodermic stylets plugged in, siphoning sweet sap while simultaneously giving birth to more. They stand with regimented parade-ground spacing, just close enough to stay in touch with their long antennae. A shiver of fidgeting sweeps through the colony as the blackcap approaches. Blackcaps are one of several warbler species that eat sycamore aphids. Photograph: Phil Gates Conservationists are quick to point out that sycamore sits close to the bottom of an oft-quoted league table of diversity of insect species hosted by trees, but there is an alternative measure of the tree's value. That superabundance of a single aphid species contributes to a food web of warblers, tits, hirundines and predatory insects. It's an ecosystem asset. A 20-metre specimen can host an estimated 2.5 million aphids, diverting its photosynthetic energy into fuelling their own exponential reproductive potential. They in turn fall prey to hoverfly larvae, ladybirds and lacewings. In summer, the winged adults join the aerial plankton hunted by swallows, house martins and swifts. Survivors will lay overwintering eggs in leaf buds, ready for next spring's population explosion. Sycamore, non-native and invasive, is perhaps our least-loved deciduous tree. As long ago as 1664, John Evelyn, in his Sylva, a treatise on Britain's trees, despised sycamore for its 'honey-dew leaves, which fall … and mar our walks', and wanted to see it 'banished from gardens and avenues'. Motorists might concur if they park in its shade and find cars covered in a sticky film of honeydew, excess tree sap that falls in a constant rain from aphid anuses after they've extracted nutrients they need. And yet, for all the species' purported faults, the felling of the famous Sycamore Gap specimen, a landmark on Hadrian's Wall familiar to generations of walkers, provoked an outpouring of public grief and outrage. Sentiment, as well as science, has a powerful influence on attitudes to our flora and fauna. Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian's Country Diary, 2018-2024 is published by Guardian Faber; order at and get a 15% discount
BBC News
06-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Experts explains where there are so many greenfly around
Why are there so many greenfly around? 11 minutes ago Share Save David McKenna BBC News Share Save Getty Images There has been a surge in the number of greenfly, according to an expert The recent warm weather has led to a surge in the numbers of greenfly, according to an entomologist. Greenfly, also known as aphids, predominately come out in the spring after overwintering their eggs. Dee Patel said the longer days, higher humidity levels and temperatures were ideal conditions for greenfly to thrive. "There are lots more around right now," he said. Despite gardeners rushing to guard their gooseberries, or lemonade sippers diving for cover, Mr Patel said the sap-sucking insects served a useful purpose. "They do live off plants, but they can't harm humans and they can't spread disease, or bite us," he said. "They only live for a couple of weeks - maybe a month at max, but they do have a very important job because they are part of the biodiversity of our gardens." They provide a vital food source for wildlife, including wild birds and ladybirds, he added. Why are there so many greenfly around? On the subject of what to do to keep numbers down, Mr Patel told BBC Radio Humberside it was best to let "nature do its job". "They are there for a reason, so we don't want to be getting out the pesticide - killing everything," he said. He advised planting things like lavender, marigolds, chives and garlic, along with peppermint oil and rosemary oil. "Most insects hate these things, so if you have ants coming into your house, try and be kind and use peppermint oil, or white vinegar. "White vinegar left in bowls can even stop things like mice, squirrels and foxes," he said.
