Which web site do you use to get ladtbugs?
I have been putting on surgery gloves once a week and using the squish method. This has worked good so far, but starting to see more and more.

Rick

I used Planet Natural for years ( had very good service from them) but last year they were out when I needed bugs and I found these guys. Cheaper and also good service but I've only ordered from them a couple of times--so far so good.

Here is a link that might be useful: March Biological

Insectacidal soap is safe and will kill them off..cheaper than a vac. for sure..You can use some dish washing liquid soaps cut with water..not sure which ones..should be some links here (http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/organic/msg0811021528979.html)

I think that in a green house type environment (and this would include someone's basement or back bedroom) the aphids become supercritters(ideal conditions). I have had no luck with insecticidal soap, no luck with neem, no luck with pyrithione mixes, no luck with rotenone. The only thing that worked for me was hand removal. Every year the plants that are brought inside are inspected for aphids and treated before being brought inside. However very few ever make it through the winter due the the large overwhelming amount of aphids that develop.
I started treating the problem right away figuring that I could keep it under control if I started when just a few are appearing. WRONG...:)!!!! I have also tried the green lacewings from Planet Natural but they either didn't hatch or I did something wrong because I only ever saw 1 of them and I still had a horrible aphid problem. Sooner or Later each year every surface of every branch and leaf is covered with aphids. Since you have to spray multiple times to actually rid yourself of aphids, I think with the amount of money spent on chemicals I will try the vacuum idea. There is no way it is more expensive than multiple rounds of store bought chemicals.
My current solution is to bring the plants in long enough for the remaining chilis to grow and ripen. Then once the aphids start to develop (usually a month or so) the plants either get put back outside to die in the cold or I cut them down to just a small stem and keep them inside but not well lit and some of them will spring right back once it is warm and lite again.

kendra

Kendra

The jury is still out on the vacuum--very hard to use on tiny plants --None of the sprays worked for me either and I had the same experience as you with lace wings. Ladybugs are the only thing that worked for me.

John

Ladybugs!! Like Kendra I've tried about everything. Only ladybugs have ever done the job.

Don't be afraid to let loose a few on your livingroom plants. If there is food they will stay there. Don't forget they need water.

John,

Does March Biological include instructions on supplemental feeding?

jt

jt

I think they do but can't guarantee it. I use a chow ( for when the supply of aphids diminishes) to help keep them alive the recipe, for which, I found somewhere. Basically honey and brewers yeast. I make a paste and smear on little pieces of cardboard.

You are correct about them not being a proble in the house.

John

hmmmm...i won't be able to try the vacuum idea until next year since this years plants are done for. But maybe it won't damage large plants and even if it would not get all the aphids, getting a large amount would be great.
I don't start that many plants from seeds, I find it is just cheaper to get the plants I want from various growers when the time is right for them..:)
I think I will try ladybugs next time also if the problem comes back up, especially now that I know baby ladybugs look nothing like a ladybug (long unrelated story)...;)
It is funny you mention that recipe for bug food. I had gotten the lacewings ordered and was all excited. I went online and saw someone mentioning that you had to feed them but there was no recipe posted at that time. So I went to Planet Natural and bought "bug food" (just expensive sugar water) without thinking. The next day someone had chimed in on the thread and posted the "recipe" for the bug food....I could just kick myself sometimes...:)

kendra

I think I used unsulfered molasses as a food the first year I ladybugged. Slapping the side of my head & still can't revive the rememory.

Alfred E

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I hate aphids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
customs killed my ladybugs and sevin dosent work.
all my problems were happening late in the year not the start.
OMG if i get infested in the seedling stage i will !@#$ my pants .
do aphids freeze over winter???
I hear they have eggs in the dirt so maybe you used dirty dirt and not a promix from a store and this is why you have them???
I hope that winter kills eggs !!!!
its posts like this that make me buy beer.

keep us posted.

shayne

"I hear they have eggs in the dirt so maybe you used dirty dirt and not a promix from a store and this is why you have them???"

Yes, aphids have a life cycle that is in 4 stages. Atleast one of those stages is in the dirt. I have the problem with the plants I bring in at the end of the year and it is most certainly cause the dirt has aphids in it. The reason you have to spray so often is that insecticides tend to kill the aphids during 1 phase of their life cycle only, this means that there are aphids in 3 other phases just waiting to get your plants.
I don't really have a problem with my seed starting (then again I don't start that much from seed) cause I use a sterile seed starting mix for that.

grrrrrr...aphids(little evil things)

kendra

I guess it was honey that I used to feed and not molasses. Sure wish I had added some test to the photos.

Ladybugs

Nice pics, jt.

Found the recipe--I make it thicker and spread as a paste on cardboard because I only use it inside and don't want to spray it. I don't buy lady bugs for outside and don't have an aphid problem outside. I usually see a few ladybugs but other natural preaditors must also keep them in check. I don't spray poisons that kill the good bugs and plants lots of herbs and flowers to attract and feed them.

john

Here is a link that might be useful: Bug Chow

yeah...the aphid thing really stinks. Lady bugs are the way to go

Thanks for the recipe John. I now remember the yeast, but not the sugar. Pretty sure I didn't use sugar.

I purchased a bunch of ladybugs from Planet Natural for controlling aphids on several geraniums I brought inside. The person I ordered them from mentioned that I should cover the infested plants with row cover to keep the ladybugs from taking off. It worked great!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ladybugs

Nice aphid picture--also some other interesting critters

Here is a link that might be useful: Aphid