Aphids in Bryan – How to Deal with Infestations
Aphids are well known as plant pests. They eat sap of vegetable plants, flowers, and even roses. However, an aphid pest problem might not be solely due to the aphids. Ants farm aphids much the same way that we farm cattle. The ants protect the aphids from predators in exchange for sugar water which ants love.
Dealing with Complex Pest Control Problems
Sometimes when you have complex relationships between insect species, getting rid of one of those species only solves the problem for a short period of time. In the case of the ant and the aphid, the ants are going to find new aphids to colonize on your plants. Their type of relationships requires a comprehensive approach to controlling both types of insects.
There are a few tricks that gardeners have for controlling aphids. One of them is to grow a small plot of plants that aphids love. For vegetable gardens planting a few broccoli plants that you expect to be sacrificed to the aphids will help keep the aphids and other hemipterans under control in other parts of your garden. Because you are not planning on eating the sacrificial plants, you can use topical or systemic pesticides on them to control the aphid population.
There is also a myriad of DIY organic options such as garlic water or pepper spray that people use to control aphids in their yards and gardens. However, without ant control, aphid populations will continue to grow because while some organic methods do help control aphids, the ants just find new aphids to farm.
If those methods are not working, then consider reaching out to our team of professionals. With our expert knowledge of pest control and our vast experience of handling pesticides safely, we can help control aphids a host of other pests including mammals, rodents, and snakes. A rattlesnake in your garden makes aphids look like small potatoes.
