Honeysuckle Aphids & Hummingbirds -- HELP!!
 

Hi there ... I have honeysuckle aphids all over a honeysuckle I planted
about 5 years ago. The plant is very large and did very well for years ..
it is the height of my house now and was very lush and robust until last
year when I noticed aphids on the plant. Being a Mom to five kids I didn't
do anything to the plant last year and it was very late in the season. The
cool weather seemed to solve my problem and I watched the plant in the
spring this year and it seemed healthy and fine until the last four weeks
when the stems are now covered in the honeysuckle aphid. I sprayed an area
with little flowers with insecticidle soap (I chose this area because I have
a lot of hummingbirds that come to my honeysuckle and I heard it can be
hazardous to use any insecticides or pesticides). The leaves are all
yellowing in this area and I assume the plant did not like the soap being
used .... and the aphids are very busy once again in this area.

I don't know what to do .... other than wait until the hummingbirds fly
south in the next few weeks and spray the plant at that point. I don't want
to injure the birds. There is a large number of wasps and flies having a
feast of the little buggers (pardon me ... ) and I'm hoping they will
naturally solve some of the problem.

Any assistance would be appreciated .... especially if someone has a
successful harmless way to treat this problem ...... it is my understanding
from web research so far that my only option would be using malathion or
something similar. The other information I gathered was to remove the plant
and plant something else but this plant is/was my pride and joy!!

Please help ... thanks!

Honeysuckle Aphids & Hummingbirds -- HELP!!
 

Horticulturual oil works great on aphids and is pretty safe as long as you dont
breathe it in or get it in your eyes. make sure that you use it in the evening
when the temperature has cooled off or you could cause damamge to the plant.
Insecticidal soap dosent do much good.

Toad

Honeysuckle Aphids & Hummingbirds -- HELP!!
 

Spray the vines very hard with your water hose. Repeat as necessary.
It will greatly reduce the population.




On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 09:11:09 GMT, "The Stromquist Clan"
wrote:

Hi there ... I have honeysuckle aphids all over a honeysuckle I planted
about 5 years ago. The plant is very large and did very well for years ..
it is the height of my house now and was very lush and robust until last
year when I noticed aphids on the plant. Being a Mom to five kids I didn't
do anything to the plant last year and it was very late in the season. The
cool weather seemed to solve my problem and I watched the plant in the
spring this year and it seemed healthy and fine until the last four weeks
when the stems are now covered in the honeysuckle aphid. I sprayed an area
with little flowers with insecticidle soap (I chose this area because I have
a lot of hummingbirds that come to my honeysuckle and I heard it can be
hazardous to use any insecticides or pesticides). The leaves are all
yellowing in this area and I assume the plant did not like the soap being
used .... and the aphids are very busy once again in this area.

I don't know what to do .... other than wait until the hummingbirds fly
south in the next few weeks and spray the plant at that point. I don't want
to injure the birds. There is a large number of wasps and flies having a
feast of the little buggers (pardon me ... ) and I'm hoping they will
naturally solve some of the problem.

Any assistance would be appreciated .... especially if someone has a
successful harmless way to treat this problem ...... it is my understanding
from web research so far that my only option would be using malathion or
something similar. The other information I gathered was to remove the plant
and plant something else but this plant is/was my pride and joy!!

Please help ... thanks!

Honeysuckle Aphids & Hummingbirds -- HELP!!
 

"jammer" wrote in message
...

Spray the vines very hard with your water hose. Repeat as necessary.
It will greatly reduce the population.

I concur. This method always works best for me, and is certainly preferable
to spraying a bunch of chemicals for your hummers to possibly ingest.