Are they aphids?

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

Hi there! This is my first year really caring about my flower garden. All of the advice given here has been so helpful—thank you! My question is about these snapdragons—there are VERY tiny brown insects crawling all over the blooms. Seriously tiny. Too small to be aphids, I think?

Any ideas of what these critters are and what they're likely to do, if anything? Happy to let them be as long as they're not sucking the life out of the plants. They are dropping petals, but I'm unsure whether it's a result of the bugs or whether it's just time for those petals to go.

Featured Answer

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

3 years ago

They look more like thrips from the shape. Can't see any details.

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Comments (8)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
aphids suck vital juices \.. usually from new growth.. or the back of green leaves..

i wouldnt expect to find them on flower tissue...

what damage are you seeing on the plants.. just because you find a bug.. doesnt mean you need take action... but getting an ID upfront is brilliant...

with annuals... especially in august or sept.. it is usually more cost efficient.. to just yank out the plants.. and be done with them... to be clear.. im not saying that need be done here ...

ken
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lw (7a SE Pennsylvania)
Original Author
3 years ago
Ahhh, thanks, floral! Looks about right. From what I'm reading, thrips won't bother the snaps, but the plant is right next to an own-root rose I just planted this spring, so I'll give them a blast with the hose.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
flower tissue can not take blasting.. though im not quite sure what you are going to blast.. snaps or the rose bush ..

ken
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
3 years ago
Snapdragons are pretty tough. An ordinary hose shouldn't hurt them, though a powerjet would.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
3 years ago
I’m not sure how helpful water sprays will be in controlling thrips.
lw (7a SE Pennsylvania) thanked rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
zen_man
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Hi lw,

Adult Thrips can fly. There are several different species of them. And they can do a population explosion and become a real problem. A water spray could dislodge them, and they might not come back on your blooms. Your photo shows there are some thrips on green foliage parts.

They will suck sap from any part of a plant. I have had them land on my forehead and I would feel a mild sting as they tried to get sap from me. Sap from a sap. Occasionally one would fly into my eye.

There have been a couple of years when I had a population explosion of thrips on my indoor zinnias that forced me to use a systemic insecticide. (You would never use a systemic anything on vegetables.) So thrips can be a problem.

ZM
lw (7a SE Pennsylvania) thanked zen_man
lw (7a SE Pennsylvania)
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you @zen_man and @rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7! Will give neem a shot then...and the hose has been less than successful.

I've been organic vegetable gardening for years and am pretty hesitant about getting into systemic insecticides etc., even for roses. I chose one noted for health in my zone (Prosperty musk rose) because of that, but even still, I am a little shocked at how many things can bother a rose!