Author:
Monica Porter
Date Of Creation:
13 March 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
Cotton aphids are small, white insects that live on trees and suck the sap. Despite their small size, aphids can cause enormous damage to plants and gardens if left untreated. If plants start to yellow and die, they are likely infected with aphids. Fortunately, there are many methods you can use to kill aphids to keep your plants healthy and green.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Treat small bed bugs with rubbing alcohol
Dip a cotton ball in 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Do not use other alcohol to avoid damaging the plant.
Use an alcohol swab to massage the infested plant surfaces. Be sure to rub both the underside of the leaves and inside the gaps in the branches. Cotton bed bugs often hide in hard to touch places, so be careful with rubbing alcohol to cover the entire plant.
Use a spray bottle to spray rubbing alcohol on larger plants. Pour rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle and spray it on large plants infested with aphids.
Catch the aphids you see on trees. Cotton bed bugs are shaped like small white bugs with a wax coating on the outside. You can catch bed bugs with your hands and throw them in the trash.- Cotton bed bugs do not bite, but you should also wear gardening gloves to keep your hands free of their wax.
Repeat this method weekly until the bed bugs are gone. Cotton bed bugs are great at hiding places that are difficult to touch, so you will most likely need to treat them with alcohol several times to get rid of them all. Even if you can't see them anymore, you should still do this a few more times to beware of the bugs.
- You will know that the bed bugs are gone when they are no longer visible on the plant, and that the plant is healthy and green.
Method 2 of 4: Use neem oil to treat potted and shade plants
Mix water with dish soap and neem oil in a spray bottle. Use 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of neem oil and 2-3 drops of dish soap. Neem oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the neem tree, used to kill aphids.
Spray the solution on the plant until it is wet. Be sure to spray both the underside of the leaves, the base of the branches, and the top of the ground. You need to completely suffocate the aphids in the neem oil mixture.
Move the plant to a shaded place and allow to dry. Do not place the plant in direct sunlight or high temperature to prevent leaf burn. If you want to handle plants outdoors outdoors, you should wait until a shady day, when the temperature drops below 29 degrees Celsius.
Spray the solution on the plants weekly until all aphids have been eliminated. A single spray of neem oil probably won't kill all the aphids on plants. Cotton bed bugs have a short lifespan, so you'll need to kill newly hatched bugs on a weekly basis until all the bed bugs are gone.
- If the plants are healthy and you can no longer see the aphids, they are gone.
Method 3 of 4: Use pesticides
Cut off any aphid-infested branches before spraying with insecticide. Aphid infested branches will have a white wax coating on the outside. Trimming off infected branches will help remove some of the aphids and increase the effectiveness of the insecticide as there won't be much room for the aphids to hide.
Use a plant-specific insecticide. Check the pesticide label if you are unsure. Avoid taking medicines that are not intended for plants, or you run the risk of damaging the plant.
- Some plant-specific insecticides you can use to kill aphids include acephate, malathion, carbaryl, and diazinon.
Spray the plant with insecticide until it is wet. Spray the plant with the insecticide so that it drips down from the leaves and the base of the branch. Be sure to spray both on the underside of the leaves and the base of the branches.
- Follow the instructions on the pesticide product for optimum results.
Spray the spray regularly until all the aphids are destroyed. You may need to spray several times to get rid of all the bed bugs. Read the instructions on the pesticide bottle for how often to use it so as not to harm the plant.
- If the plant is growing well and you can no longer see the aphids on the plant, all aphids are dead.
Method 4 of 4: Prevention of aphids
Check new plants for aphids, if any, before bringing them into the garden. Look for small, round insects that are covered with white wax. If you find aphids on your newly brought tree, capture them and throw them away. If the plant is too infested with aphids, you may have to throw it away or return it to the shop.
- Never bring a plant infected with aphids into your garden, otherwise aphids will spread to other plants.
Check plants regularly for aphids. You can prevent a serious infection by regularly dealing with small bed bugs. If you find cotton aphids on plants, shake them with your hand. If your plant is infected with a lot of aphids, take it out of your garden to avoid spreading it.
Get rid of garden tools infested with aphids. Cotton bed bugs can be found on garden tools such as shovels, shovels, and potted plants. Always check your tools and avoid using them if you find aphids, otherwise aphids can spread to garden plants.
Avoid fertilizing plants if possible. High levels of nitrogen can cause aphids to reproduce faster. Use a nitrogen-free fertilizer if your plants do not need nitrogen. advertisement
