Aphids And How To Spot Them
Aphid Infestations Are No Fun
We routinely get asked about Aphids from anxious customers during our work here at DR Trees Redmond. The truth is that it’s not always easy to know whether you’re dealing with aphids or not. Aphids are very tiny creatures that you can’t generally see with the naked eye unless you’re standing very close by or there are many of them around. This truly is a shame because even though aphids are small, they multiply quickly and before you know it, you’re dealing with a whole plague of them. Luckily, there are a few signs you could look out for to find out whether you need to worry or not!
Change in the leaves
When you’re dealing with a whole plague of aphids, chances are high that you will be able to see certain changes in the leaves of your tree(s). More concretely, you’ll probably find that the leaves can get curled, or sometimes it can even be the case that the leaves will start to wither altogether. Besides that, another sign that you may be dealing with aphids is discoloration. Namely, the leaves can turn this yellowish color as a result of an aphid infestation. Therefore, if you notice that the leaves at hand stop growing, start to discolor, or start to fall off entirely, you should ask yourself the question of whether it’s possible that aphids are the cause!
It should be noted that there are different types of aphids and depending on what exact type you’re dealing with, you could notice other tell-tale signs as well. For example, there’s a certain kind of aphid that causes particular bushes to start showing reddish, blister-like spots on the leaves.
Eggs
Aphids multiply remarkably quickly and that means that they lay a very large amount of eggs. While these eggs aren’t usually easy to notice, there’s another way that they can give you an indication that you’re dealing with aphids. The presence of eggs causes trees to sometimes grow certain thickenings and those are positively visible!
Honeydew
Aphids secrete a sweet, sticky substance called honeydew. They use this mainly for self-defense as aphids are often found near or in places where ants are found. They use this honeydew as a kind of offering to the ants, signaling that they are not a threat.
The aphids form a mutualistic relationship with these ants: the aphids provide nourishment and the ants provide protection.
Honeydew can also be felt on your trees as aphids simply drop excess honeydew that they produce. Run your hands along the leaves of your tree and see if it gets sticky afterward. This is a good sign of an aphid infestation.
Black mold coating
Another consequence of aphid infestation is the possibility that black, sooty mold will appear on top of the leaves. Concretely, the presence of honeydew is a true catalysator for this condition. When left untreated, this kind of black mold can do serious damage to your trees, so it’s important to treat it right away after you’ve noticed it.
Conclusion
All in all, it’s clear that when you notice any of the above-mentioned sings when it comes to trees, it could be smart to look into ways to combat your aphids problem. When this is the case, you should jump into action immediately, seeing as that’s crucial if you want to keep the damage to your trees to a minimum.