AusBonsai

Hey all,

Was doing a quick check on my Pyracantha today and noticed some small mites on the underside of some leaves. They are a clearly greeny yellow colour (if that makes any sense) and seem to be in groups underneath some of the leaves.

Unsure if this is unrelated but I have been having random leaves turn yellow and brown before dropping (not many but some) for a couple of months now and just thought it was natural, now I'm thinking this may be the cause?





After a quick search I'm thinking they could be the Greenfly Aphids but unsure? Just wondering if what I have are a detrimental pest or harmless? Also apart from my thumb how best do I nuke them into the ice ages

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

Hey pearcy.
I'm in Melb as well and I take preventative measures to stop these guys happening - finding there way to my place. Yates maverick will do the trick - I do a preventative spray every spring and then Yates mancozeb in late autumn to hold out any fungus' over winter. Others my have a chemical free way too
Good luck
Michael

Thanks mjhc, I'll give that stuff a research.

To date, my most successful way to rid aphids is to spray them off with a hose. I have had them cover almost the entire tamarillo tree and the hose still did the trick.
You will have to do it over several weeks.
I am not just comfortable spraying insecticide unless I have to which has been rarely.

Yeah I read that last night and am planning on giving this a crack first longd_au.

I've also read if you can create an environment for ladybugs they will clear them all out for you - my problem isn't quite that bad yet but.

Thanks for the suggestion longd_au.

Pearcy001 wrote:Yeah I read that last night and am planning on giving this a crack first longd_au.

I've also read if you can create an environment for ladybugs they will clear them all out for you - my problem isn't quite that bad yet but.

Thanks for the suggestion longd_au.

Praying Mantis are good too Two insects you should never remove from your garden

Thankfully they are reasonably easy to get rid of, if you don't want to use insectiside, then there are a few 'organic' ways of doing it, hose is the first and easiest, but you can also use soapy water if the hose doesn't do it few tablespoons of dish washing detergent in a bucket of water, the spray that on them. They won't like it one bit

Thanks Jason! Will definitely try that before the hard stuff.

If I do clear them off will they just move to another tree but?

Pearcy001 wrote:Thanks Jason! Will definitely try that before the hard stuff.

If I do clear them off will they just move to another tree but?

Sorry, totally missed your reply.

If you do use the organic methods, then that will actually kill them also, so they shouldn't move on to anything else Just keep an eye out for ants, as the ants will harvest them (or the 'juice' that they secrete), and THEY will move them on to other plants

I blast all infestations with the strong insecticides. I see no reason to use the organic methods on trees like Maples etc. which do not bear edible fruit. For those arguing that they harm the bee population, I hardly see it having an affect when used on a handful on tiny bonsai trees. I see plenty of honey bees and native bees still hanging around all through spring and summer.

I don't see why one would want to risk their hard work and effort using modalities that are not as effective as what is readily available.

Truth wrote:I blast all infestations with the strong insecticides. I see no reason to use the organic methods on trees like Maples etc. which do not bear edible fruit. For those arguing that they harm the bee population, I hardly see it having an affect when used on a handful on tiny bonsai trees. I see plenty of honey bees and native bees still hanging around all through spring and summer.

I don't see why one would want to risk their hard work and effort using modalities that are not as effective as what is readily available.

For me it was little puppies around the yard that like to eat anything within reach but I do also try and do my bit for the environment (hippy at heart), so if i'm helping the bee's, even in a very minor way, then thats a bonus too

Truth wrote:I blast all infestations with the strong insecticides. I see no reason to use the organic methods on trees like Maples etc. which do not bear edible fruit. For those arguing that they harm the bee population, I hardly see it having an affect when used on a handful on tiny bonsai trees. I see plenty of honey bees and native bees still hanging around all through spring and summer.

I don't see why one would want to risk their hard work and effort using modalities that are not as effective as what is readily available.

and a D9 dozer for yamadori

Haha thanks for the advice guys. It was seeming as if I caught them very early so not too much of a hassle.

No pesticides were used as yet and they are seeming to be gone!

Thanks greatly for your suggestions guys I'll use this as a reference if they ever return.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

Truth wrote:I blast all infestations with the strong insecticides. I see no reason to use the organic methods ...

My mother did some of the early research into the impact of "Agent Orange" (and other now-banned "safe" insecticides). Combine that with the inevitable development of resistance and I believe there's a very good basis for avoiding strong insecticides except as a last line of defence.

Pearcy001 wrote:Hey all,

Was doing a quick check on my Pyracantha today and noticed some small mites on the underside of some leaves. They are a clearly greeny yellow colour (if that makes any sense) and seem to be in groups underneath some of the leaves.

Unsure if this is unrelated but I have been having random leaves turn yellow and brown before dropping (not many but some) for a couple of months now and just thought it was natural, now I'm thinking this may be the cause?

After a quick search I'm thinking they could be the Greenfly Aphids but unsure? Just wondering if what I have are a detrimental pest or harmless? Also apart from my thumb how best do I nuke them into the ice ages

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

It's Greenfly Aphids alright. I use either a mixture of concentrated woolie-wash & water or a product made by Neudorff (http://www.neudorff.com). Unfotunately it looks like the latter isn't available in Aussie, but I'm sure you have something equally effective. Why not use woolie-wash? It's bad news for all types of amphids.