Dealing With Aphid Invaders
Aphid invaders around your Bradenton, FL, property can cause serious issues when they infest your plants in large numbers. Westfall’s Lawn and Pest will help you defeat these pesky insects.
Frequently Asked Questions About Aphid's
What are aphids?
Aphids are a type of sap-feeding insect that cause significant damage to the plants that they infest and feed on. You may identify aphids by their small size (they grow approximately 1/8 of an inch in length), soft, pear-shaped bodies, and furry or woolly appearance. Aphids vary in color depending on specific species, so they may be green, yellow, red, and even black or brown. If you look closely, you may see a small tube-like structure at the end of an aphid’s abdomen called a cornicle.
Noticing aphids on plants in your yard is an indication that an infestation might be developing; it’s important to break the aphid life cycle and eliminate all traces of this pest if you want to reclaim your foliage.
Are aphids dangerous?
A few aphids alone likely aren’t a problem, but a widespread aphid infestation often results in serious destruction to your prized plants. Aphids feed on plants and drain them, leaving them yellowing and withering and stunting their growth. Aphids may feed on the roots of plants or the plant leaves, and if a plant happens to be infected with an illness, they will carry this to the other plants they feed on. Over time, an aphid infestation causes serious costly destruction to the plants around your outdoor areas.
Avoid aphid damage by contacting Westfall’s Lawn and Pest at the first signs of this insect around your property.
Why do I have an aphid problem?
Aphids are primarily attracted to nitrogen, and plants that are improperly cared for may have an excess of nitrogen in their soil. Aphids will seek this out and begin feeding on the plants around your property. Another common way to pick up an aphid problem is by accidentally introducing an already-infested plant into your outdoor areas.
Where will I find aphids?
Aphids are most commonly found outdoors on the plants where they feed. You may see them around the soil of crowded plants, on the exposed roots of plants, or around plant leaves. In particular, aphids prefer to hide on the underside of leaves and plant stems.
How do I get rid of aphids?
Get rid of aphids the right way by reaching out to Westfall’s Lawn and Pest the moment you notice this insect on your property. Our team will help evaluate the root causes of your problem and provide you with reliable treatment solutions tailored to your property’s aphid removal needs.
Contact us today for a free evaluation and to learn more about our residential pest control services.
How can I prevent aphids in the future?
An essential part of prolonged aphid control is taking steps to prevent future aphid problems and make your property less hospitable to this pest. Our expert tips below help you achieve this:
- Taking proper care of your plants is the best way to prevent aphids, as you won't be providing these pests with excess nitrogen, overwatered soil, or crowded plants that make it easy to move from one food source to the next.
- Spray your plants down with a steady stream of water every few days to knock aphids off and dislodge any hiding aphids that you might not be able to easily see.
- Make an effort to attract ladybugs to your yard with plants like marigolds, as ladybugs are highly effective at praying on aphids and keeping populations to a minimum.
Contact Westfall's Lawn and Pest today for assistance defeating aphids and for more information about our pest control services in Bradenton, FL.
