Wooly aphids infest my apple tree every year. Can anyone recommend a
good, widely available systemic insecticide that can be mixed with
water and sprayed on the tree when the first leaves appear in spring
and again in the summer? Insecticides for fruit trees seem more
difficult to find in the d-i-y stores nowadays.

Ernie,
Wooly aphid is a sod.
Sorry but I think that there are no systemic insecticides available for
fruit available to the amateur grower any more.
They say you can use strong jests of water but the only effective
treatment I can offer is a paintbrush and some methylated spirits. Dip
the brish in the sirit and just scrub the infestation. This is how I do
it and if you are thorough it does last most of the season.
Due to their wooly coats, they are though things for contact sprays,
need a thorough wetting.
Commercially a nicotine spray is used. I do not know of an amateur
spray that is approved.
Sorry
Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire

Thanks Clifford. I was using Bio Fruit Spray made by Pan Brittanica
Industries (now taken over by Sumitomo) quite effectively but that
product was withdrawn in 2002 because of an EC ban on the chemical it
contained. I tried using methylated spirits applied with a
toothbrush but it was only effective for a couple of weeks and then
had to be done again and again. I've also tried spraying with water
mixed with some liquid detergent and white spirit. While this seems
to wash away the wooly deposits, they reappear after a few days --
even more quickly than after the toothbrush cum methylated spirits
treatment.


On 25 Mar 2006 10:33:06 -0800, "cliff_the_gardener"
wrote:

Ernie,
Wooly aphid is a sod.
Sorry but I think that there are no systemic insecticides available for
fruit available to the amateur grower any more.
They say you can use strong jests of water but the only effective
treatment I can offer is a paintbrush and some methylated spirits. Dip
the brish in the sirit and just scrub the infestation. This is how I do
it and if you are thorough it does last most of the season.
Due to their wooly coats, they are though things for contact sprays,
need a thorough wetting.
Commercially a nicotine spray is used. I do not know of an amateur
spray that is approved.
Sorry
Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire

Sorry to hear that the methylated spirits isn't working, can only
suggest you keep at it. They over winter as aphids in the bark so
persistence is the key. The alcohol should be effective as it destorys
the eggs as well as killing the insects.
Are the aphids appearing around pruning cuts or other breaks in the
bark?
If so, after the meths has dried, apply a paste of Bordeaux mixture to
the cut. This will help to stop any secondary fungal infections -
particully canker.
The meths approach is far more effective than blasting the blighters
off with a jet of water, so I would stick with it.
Good luck
Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire

Can the meths be applied before the first wooly deposits appear as a
preventative measure? If so which parts of the apple tree should be
treated? What should I concentrate on? I like the meths approach. It
is cheaper than the commercial solution. TIA.

On 25 Mar 2006 14:34:39 -0800, "cliff_the_gardener"
wrote:

Sorry to hear that the methylated spirits isn't working, can only
suggest you keep at it. They over winter as aphids in the bark so
persistence is the key. The alcohol should be effective as it destorys
the eggs as well as killing the insects.
Are the aphids appearing around pruning cuts or other breaks in the
bark?
If so, after the meths has dried, apply a paste of Bordeaux mixture to
the cut. This will help to stop any secondary fungal infections -
particully canker.
The meths approach is far more effective than blasting the blighters
off with a jet of water, so I would stick with it.
Good luck
Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire

The meths acts as a contact insecticide, so no it has no residual
effect. Scrubbing the things produces a purple dye, looks like you
have had your hands dipped in blackberries.
As far as cost goes, it depends on how many trees you have to spray. A
bottle of meths cost ???£1.50, so for a few trees, it is cheaper.
If you have a spraying licence, and have an orchard then around £28
for a litre of Nicotine spray. Can only get it if you have a spaying
licence. Only cost effective if you have a lot of trees to deal with.
Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire