Parasites

[fugazi]

Hi guys!

Last year I bought some plants and may have introduced some "leaf lice" (?) to my indoor plants. The sundew died within a week and so did my eggplants. Then they moved to my flytraps and ruined one as well. I'm not sure of the name of these parasites, bit they're little, light green in colour. A website in German as a picture of them ( http://www.faunistik.net/DETINVE....na.html )

I was wondering if anyone has had similar problems or solutions? I'm kinda worried about trying out chemicals (like ones made form the Neem plant), and washing/squirting water at the bugs won't help.

My plant is just now coming out of dormancy and already they're attacking it and making the leaves wrinkled and twisted.

any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance

-fug

 

[Darcie]

Hi! Those insects are good old fation aphids. If you have them repeadedly coming back check your home for ants. Ants will often use aphids as a sort of cattle and milk them for honeydew. The first thing you'll want to do is get rid of the ants. If that isn't an ovious issue, here is a list of things to get rid of aphids:

1) if the plant can survive underwater (aka VFT's) submerge it and the pot in a bucket of pure water for 24-48 hours. Then get a large saucer and put a smaller one inside. The pot goes on the little saucer, and a mote goes in the big one. This was, if ants are the culprits, it won't be reinfected.

2) If this seems to not help (flying aphids/no ants) look into ladybird beatles or other aphid eaters.

3) Not many CP'd can deal with aphids, but you may have luck getting a few pings.