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Aphid Predators for the Garden
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Please Note
Due to the perishable nature of beneficial insects, we are unable to ship insect orders outside of the continental United States.
Insect orders are processed at 7:00AM Eastern Time each business day. Orders placed after 7:00AM Eastern Time will be processed the following business day.
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The Pest: Aphids
Aphids are soft-bodied insects that use their piercing sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap. They usually occur in colonies on the undersides of tender terminal growth. Heavily-infested leaves can wilt or turn yellow because of excessive sap removal. |
Click image for a larger view.
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While the plant may look bad, aphid feeding generally will not seriously harm healthy, established trees and shrubs.
However, some plants are very sensitive to feeding by certain aphid species. Saliva injected into plants by these aphids may cause leaves to pucker or to become severely distorted, even if only a few aphids are present. Also, aphid feeding on flower buds and fruit can cause malformed flowers or fruit.
Aphids produce large amounts of a sugary liquid waste called "honeydew". The honeydew that drops from these insects can spot the windows and finish of cars parked under infested trees. A fungus called sooty mold can grow on honeydew deposits that accumulate on leaves and branches, turning them black. The appearance of sooty mold on plants may be the first time that an aphid infestation is noticed. The drops can attract other insects such as ants, that will feed on the sticky deposits.
First Signs
Wilted-looking plants that aren't thriving. Looking closer, dense colonies of tiny (1/32 - 1/8 inch) soft bodied, pear-shaped insects are seen, expecially on tender growing tips and undersides. Young Aphids look like miniature adults. And the whole family will be found feeding together.
Aphids come in almost every color. They can be green, yellow, pink, brown, black or any shade in between. To be certain of an Aphid diagnosis, use a magnifier to find the pair of tiny "dual exhaust pipes" on their posteriors. These are properly termed "cornicles" and Aphids are the only insects that have them.
Most Common Species
Special Species Notes: Aphids feed by sucking plant juices, which is damaging enough, but the most serious damage comes from the plant diseases they carry. They also produce honeydew. This can grow an unsightly, and potentially fatal, sooty black mold, which hoses off, or washes off with soapy water. Aphids multiply so rapidly because they're born pregnant. In fact, there are tiny secondary embryos inside the first embryos!
Add to this the fact that Aphids reach adulthood in one week and you can see why they can wreak such rapid devastation. Finally, there are so many Aphid species that just about every plant has at least one species that likes it.
Most Popular Control: Ladybug Beetles
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Ladybug Beetles
(Hippodamia convergens)
Lady bugs can eat over 5000 aphids (or other soft body insects) during their lifetime of about a year. Ladybugs are one of the few beneficial insects that can be stored for between one and ten weeks, dormant, in the refrigerator at a temperature between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep them above freezing, and you can let some out occasionally as needed.
If ladybugs tend to fly away, you can spray their backs with a light soda pop and water spray - it "glues" their wings shut so they can't fly! It wears off after a week or so. |
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One-half pint of ladybug beetles is enough for a small garden, a quart covers a larger one. Suitable for use outdoors, in greenhouses and other controlled environment indoor gardens.
Priced below with 2-Day Air or Next Day Air shipping for weekday delivery.
Bug orders are processed Monday through Thursday mornings at 7:00AM Eastern Time.
Orders received after 7:00AM Eastern Time will be processed the following business day.
2-Day Orders received after 7:00AM Eastern Time on Wednesdays will be processed the following Monday.
Next Day Orders received after 7:00AM Eastern Time on Thursdays will be processed the following Monday. |
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Order #LAD1500/SD
Ladybug Beetles
1500 Ladybugs
2-DAY AIR
27.95 |
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Order #LAD1500/ND
Ladybug Beetles
1500 Ladybugs
NEXT DAY AIR
42.95 |
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Order #LAD4500/SD
Ladybug Beetles
4500 Ladybugs 1/2 Pint
2 DAY AIR
42.95 |
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Order #LAD4500/ND
Ladybug Beetles
4500 Ladybugs 1/2 Pint
NEXT DAY AIR
57.95 |
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Order #LAD18000/SD
Ladybug Beetles
18,000 Ladybugs Quart
2-DAY AIR
69.95 |
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Order #LAD18000/ND
Ladybug Beetles
18,000 Ladybugs Quart
NEXT DAY AIR
84.95 |
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Order #LAD72000/SD
Ladybug Beetles
72,000 Ladybugs Gallon
2-DAY AIR
149.95 |
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Order #LAD72000/ND
Ladybug Beetles
72,000 Ladybugs Gallon
NEXT DAY AIR
164.95 |
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Most Effective Control: Aphid Predators
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Aphid Predators
(Aphidoletes aphidimyza)
Aphid Predators (Aphidoletes aphidimyza) have worked so well in many greenhouses, that, by summer, aphids may be hard to even find. Breeding populations of predators are usually established from a single release, but regular weekly releases during the growing season speeds up control. |
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1,000 Aphid Predators treats up to 10,000 square feet of greenhouse space.
Aphid Predators often provide the most lasting aphid control because they breed so readily, and don't fly towards light. 250 is enough to get a small greenhouse space under control or use 3,000 to 4,000 per acre for outdoor use.
They can be used anywhere including yards, greenhouses, and indoors.
Special Species Notes: Aphid Predators have a soil-resting phase as part of their lifecycle, so should not be used at the same time as Predatory Nematodes.
Application: Aphid Predators are shipped to you as cocoons, waiting to hatch, packaged in bottles. Spread the contents on the soil or leaves.
Handy Hint: In greenhouses, a few specimen house plants kept all year long, in addition to the main crop, can be major sources of infestations. Check any year-round specimen plants particularly closely for pests.
Suitable for outdoor, greenhouse and controlled environment garden (CEG) use.
Priced below with 2-Day or Overnight shipping for weekday delivery.
Bug orders are processed Monday through Thursday mornings at 7:00AM Eastern Time.
Orders received after 7:00AM will be processed the following business day.
2-Day Orders received after 7:00AM on Wednesdays will be processed the following Monday.
Next Day Orders received after 7:00AM on Thursdays will be processed the following Monday. |
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Order #APH100/SD
Aphid Predators
100 Predators
2-DAY AIR
36.95 |
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Order #APH100/ND
Aphid Predators
100 Predators
NEXT DAY AIR
51.95 |
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Order #APH250/SD
Aphid Predators
250 Predators
2 DAY AIR
49.95 |
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Order #APH250/ND
Aphid Predators
250 Predators
NEXT DAY AIR
64.95 |
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Order #APH1000/SD
Aphid Predators
1,000 Predators
2-DAY AIR
109.95 |
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Order #APH1000/ND
Aphid Predators
1,000 Predators
NEXT DAY AIR
124.95 |
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Alternative Multi-Purpose Control:
Green Lacewings
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Green Lacewing Eggs
Green Lacewing Larvae
For use against Aphids, Thrips, Mealybugs and Whiteflies.
Looking like tiny alligators, Green Lacewing larvae (Chrysopa rufilabris) voraciously attack almost any prey they can fit in their mouths. Within 3 or 4 weeks, the larvae hatch into adult Green Lacewings that feed only on pollen and nectar.
Available in both egg stage and larvae stage. Green Lacewing eggs hatch into Green Lacewing Larvae soon after release. Green Lacewing Larvae come 'ready to go' and begin eating pest bugs as soon as they are released.
Application: Since Green Lacewings search up to 100 feet for their first meal, eggs and larvae can be hand sprinkled almost anywhere. |
Click image for a larger view.
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Green Lacewing eggs may be refrigerated for a few days at 38-45 F. to delay hatching, but be very careful not to freeze them.
Typical egg release rates range between 5,000 and 50,000 eggs per acre, depending on infestation levels. Typical live hatched larvae release rates range from 1,000 to 5,000 per acre, repeated every 2-4 weeks as required for control.
Suitable for outdoor, greenhouse and controlled environment garden (CEG) use.
Priced below with 2-Day Air or Next Day Air shipping for weekday delivery.
Bug orders are processed Monday through Thursday mornings at 7:00AM Eastern Time.
Orders received after 7:00AM Eastern Time will be processed the following business day.
2-Day Orders received after 7:00AM Eastern Time on Wednesdays will be processed the following Monday.
Next Day Orders received after 7:00AM Eastern Time on Thursdays will be processed the following Monday.
Please note that Green Lacewing Live Hatched Larvae are shipped on Tuesdays only. Your order must be received by the close of business on Friday prior to the following Tuesdays shipment. |
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Order #GRELAR1000/SD
Green Lacewing
Live Hatched
Larvae
750-1000 Larvae
Ships Following Tuesday Only
2-DAY AIR
59.95 |
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Order #GRELAR1000/ND
Green Lacewing
Live Hatched
Larvae
750-1000 Larvae
Ships Following Tuesday Only
NEXT DAY AIR
74.95 |
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Order #GRELC1000/SD
Green Lacewing Eggs
1,000 Eggs
2 DAY AIR
29.95 |
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Order #GRELC1000/ND
Green Lacewing Eggs
1,000 Eggs
NEXT DAY AIR
44.95 |
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Order #GRELC4K/SD
Green Lacewing Eggs
4,000 Eggs
2-DAY AIR
49.95 |
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Order #GRELC4K/ND
Green Lacewing Eggs
4,000 Eggs
NEXT DAY AIR
64.95 |
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Order #GRELC25K/SD
Green Lacewing Eggs
25,000 Eggs
2-DAY AIR
179.95 |
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Order #GRELC25K/ND
Green Lacewing Eggs
25,000 Eggs
NEXT DAY AIR
194.95 |
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