[monkey]

Today I released 2 Monarchs, my first of the season, raised from eggs as per instructions given on this website.

My poor swan plants are covered in yellow aphids. I pick the food I need then soak it in clean water for at least 2 hours to try to drown the little beasts, then wash them off under a running tap & pat dry. Then I cover a jar of water with cling film, puncture it & push the fresh stalks through, ready for the caterpillarss to move on to. They eat a HUGE amount as they get big, & poo prodigious amounts……..

[Caryl]

Hi Jacqui, Interesting you find this successful. I tried it 2 seasons ago with another person and we both found it useless, in fact it made the aphid control worse because we could not squish any. I have found that painting on strong detergent with a paint brush and doing it every day before there are aphids galore on the back of leaves at the base to be the best method of control. So time consuming though. Some aphids even survived the Wellington winter. Caryl (in Paddington, Sydney for 2 weeks)

[Jacqui]

They sure do, Monkey!

I have been using Aphidius colemani with great success – but then I have a lot of swan plants here for sale and can’t afford to lose them. So buying A. colemani is an investment… The problem with rinsing (or squishing) is that you’re probably killing off any natural controls such as ladybird nymphs and/or A. colemani. It’s a hard one!

I have a few pupae due to “pop” – the first one I had this year didn’t make it. I hope that things will change…

Jacqui

[Author]

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