What Are These?

[tucan]

what are these black insects? the ants climb all over them but don't kill them. the are in my mock orange plant and some of the roses buds too. how do i get rid of it if they are bad for my plants?

thanks

 

[ian]

Aphids?

 

[Ben M]

yes, they are aphids. the ants farm them, and eat the honeydew that the aphids release from the terminations of their alimentary canals. the ants stroke the aphids with their antenna to 'milk' them. it is a mutualistic relationship, as the ants protect the aphids from predators.

no joke.

i'm not sure how to get rid of them, if there aren't that many could you physically remove them? if not there may be some sort of pesticide?

i find it quite cool how the ants farm them.

 

[Socks]

Not sure about where you are as our aphids here are green but lady bugs and similar beetles eat them,if you could get some ladybugs.....Instead of strait pesticide some people try using a mild solution of dish soap and water applied with a spray bottle over the plant.Works wonders sometimes,sometimes it does not.

 

[Ben M]

hi, you can get different types of aphid. and i'm not sure that the ladybirds will work, as the ants protect the aphids, so may well kill the ladybirds.

cheers

 

[the biffster]

black aphids and the ants are
harvesting like a sugar type
liquid that they secrete
wasps and ladybirds like to eat them

 

[tucan]

i tried to cut off the stems where they appear and bin it in the green bin but only to found more arrives in other branches.

 

[nurglespuss]

Yep wasps and lacewings are your best natural control method, lady birds are actually poor aphid predators, consuming them slowly, and not over-depleting the stock (unlike a wasp, which will systamatically work its way bottom to top, munching every single one).

Another option is to physically brush them off and squish them, and apply a weak washingup liquid and water solution. this prevents reacurrance.

 

[the biffster]

liquid paraffin and fairy washing up liquid
watered right down and sprayed on

 

[tucan]

will try that later today. hope it works.