Pests that wreak havoc on your yard don’t just ruin decorative plants, they can cause larger hazards like falling tree limbs. That’s why aphids can be just as dangerous as termites, and these common pests are difficult to control or recognize. It's important for property owners to learn all they can about how to prevent these yard pests and respond appropriately to signs of aphid activity.
What Are Aphids?
Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that can vary greatly in appearance. They can be green, brown, black, striped, or speckled, all of which they use to their advantage by targeting plants that provide them with natural camouflage. While they predominantly attack leaves, twigs, and fruiting plants, aphids can also damage roots and chew through bark and wood pulp to cause larger structural issues for trees and shrubs. Aphids are able to overwinter as eggs, meaning fresh populations typically emerge in early to mid-spring. Adult aphids tend to lay their eggs near enough food sources for their newly hatched young, which is why it’s important to keep up on proper pest control throughout the year, to clamp down on populations before they can start.
What Harm Do Aphids Cause?
Like many plant-eating insects, aphids can cause big problems if left unchecked. Not only can they damage individual properties, but they can also ruin whole fields of crops that stock the shelves in community grocery stores. Everyone needs to take aphid control seriously, to avoid these kinds of issues:
- Plant health: Aphids can quickly chew through leaves and twigs, causing leaf falls and browning almost instantly. The disruption to a tree or bush canopy can damage the overall health of the plant.
- Honeydew: Aphids make large quantities of a substance known as honeydew. This can attract other, more problematic, pests as well as developing fungus.
- Spread: Most aphids spend their entire lives at food sources, crawling all over delicious plants and feeding. But as colonies grow, they produce mating females, with wings, which go off in swarms to colonize new areas. This rapid spread of aphid populations is why containment is crucial.
How To Spot & Prevent Aphid Problems
To prevent these larger issues, you have to clamp down on aphid populations early and prevent them from even getting into your yard in the first place. Early signs of aphid damage include browning plants, holes in leaves, and the flying females themselves. If you notice any of these signs, contact professionals immediately. If not, you still need to address the following to improve your chances of avoiding colonization:
- Landscaping: Keeping trees, bushes and other decorative plants trimmed down will reduce the number of places that aphids have to lay their eggs and cluster together to feed.
- Moisture control: Controlling moisture build-up outdoors isn’t always something property owners have control over, but you can help your cause by ensuring you have proper yard drainage.
- Treatments: The best way to protect your lawn from invasive pests is through professional treatment of your property. Contact your local pest experts for more information.
Effective Aphid Control From Alta Pest Control
With the ability to do so much damage and spread quickly, aphids are a yard pest that you should leave to the pros to solve. At Alta Pest Control, our trained experts know how aphid populations start and spread, so we can head off colonies early and apply prevention measures to key harborage areas around your property. Simply put, we can help you with yard pests at every stage, from early prevention to fast and effective removal of existing pests.
Don’t let aphids damage your lawn and garden and spread like wildfire. For the most effective and environmentally-friendly way to handle an aphid infestation, contactAlta Pest Control today.
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