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How to Identify and Get Rid of Aphids on Plants

green aphids crawling on a plant

Aphids are pesky green bugs that can wreak havoc on your garden.

Image Credit:
Pixabay
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

What are those little green bugs on your plants? They’re probably aphids! Here are our best tips for identifying and getting rid of aphids in your garden.

What Are Aphids?

Aphids seem to find their way into every garden. They are small, soft-bodied insects that feed by sucking the nutrient-rich liquids out of plants. In large numbers, they can weaken plants significantly, harming flowers and fruit. Aphids multiply quickly, so getting them under control before reproduction starts is important. Many generations can multiply in one season.

Lee Townsend, an Extension Entomologist at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, explains, “Infestations generally result from small numbers of winged aphids that fly to the plant and find it to be a suitable host. They deposit several wingless young on the most tender tissue before moving on to find a new plant. The immature aphids or nymphs that are left behind feed on plant sap and increase gradually in size. They mature in 7 to 10 days and then are ready to produce live young. Usually, all of them are females, and each is capable of producing 40 to 60 offspring. The process is repeated several times, resulting in a tremendous population explosions. Less than a dozen aphid “colonizers” can produce hundreds to thousands of aphids on a plant in a few weeks. Aphid numbers can build until conditions are so crowded, or the plant is so stressed, that winged forms are produced. These winged forms fly off in search of new hosts, and the process is repeated.”

The good news is that aphids tend to move rather slowly and, with diligent care, can be controlled.

Identification

Identifying Aphids

Aphids are tiny (adults are under 1/4 inch), and often nearly invisible to the naked eye. Various species can appear white, black, brown, gray, yellow, light green, or even pink. Some may have a waxy or woolly coating. They have pear-shaped bodies with long antennae; the nymphs (young aphids) look similar to the adults. Most species have two short tubes (called cornicles) projecting from their hind end.

Rose Aphid on a plant
A close-up view of a rose aphid.

Adults are usually wingless, but most species can develop a winged form when populations become crowded, so that when food quality suffers, the insects can travel to other plants, reproduce, and start a new colony. Aphids usually feed in large groups, although you might occasionally see them singly or in small numbers.

While aphids in general feed on a wide variety of plants, some species of aphids can be specific to certain plants—for example: bean aphids, cabbage aphids, potato aphids, green peach aphids, melon aphids, and woolly apple aphids.

dark brown aphids on a leaf with a hand holding it
Some aphids are darker colors, like brown. The potato aphid is a common brown aphid. 
Photo credit: GrowVeg.com.

What Does Aphid Damage Look Like?

Nymphs and adults feed on plant juices, attacking leaves, stems, buds, flowers, fruit, and/or roots, depending on the species. Most aphids especially like succulent new growth. Some, such as the green peach aphid, feed on a variety of plants, while others, such as the rosy apple aphid, focus on one or just a few plant hosts.

  • Look for misshapen, curling, stunted, or yellowing leaves. Be sure to check the undersides of leaves; aphids love to hide there.
  • If the leaves or stems are covered with a sticky substance, that is a sign that aphids may have been sipping sap. This “honeydew,” a sugary liquid produced by the insects as waste, can attract other insects, such as ants, which gather the substance for food. When feeding on trees, aphids’ honeydew can drop onto cars, outdoor furniture, driveways, and so on.
  • The honeydew can sometimes encourage a fungal growth called sooty mold, causing branches and leaves to appear black.
  • Flowers or fruit can become distorted or deformed due to feeding aphids.
  • Some aphid species cause galls to form on roots or leaves.
  • Aphids may transmit viruses between plants.
  • Aphids also attract other insects that prey on them, such as ladybugs.
yellow aphids on a plant leaf
Aphids can be various colors, including yellow, and produce a sticky honeydew substance. 
Photo Credit: John Obermeyer/Purdue University.

Still not sure? Use our Plant Problem ID tool to easily diagnose pests and diseases.

Control and Prevention

How to Get Rid of Aphids: Killing Aphids

  • Try spraying infested plants with a strong stream of water; sometimes, all aphids need is a blast to dislodge them. Typically, they are unable to find their way back to the same plant.
  • Neem oil, insecticidal soaps, and horticultural oils are effective against aphids, but these substances need to come into contact with the aphids in order to work. Be sure to follow the application instructions provided on the packaging.
  • You can often control aphids by wiping or spraying the leaves of the plant with a mild solution of water and a few drops of dish soap. Soapy water should be reapplied every 2-3 days for 2 weeks.
    • One variation of this soap-water mix includes cayenne pepper: Stir together 1 quart water, 1 tsp liquid dish soap, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Do not dilute before spraying on plants.
  • Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a nontoxic, organic material that will dehydrate aphids.
    Warning: Do not apply DE when plants are in bloom, as it will kill pollinators such as bees and butterflies if they come into contact with it.
thumb over the end of a garden hose spraying water
Hosing down your plants is one way to control the aphid population in your garden.

How to Prevent Aphids

  • For fruit or shade trees, spray dormant horticultural oil to kill overwintering aphid eggs.
  • Beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps, will feed on aphids. Attract these insects to your garden by providing an environment that features a range of flowers and foliage plants, as well as access to water. Supplemental populations of these insects can be ordered online and should help control the aphid populations from the start.
  • Companion planting can help keep aphids away from your plants in the first place, or can draw aphids away from the plants you want to grow. For example:
    • Aphids are repelled by catnip.
    • Aphids are especially attracted to mustard and nasturtium. Plant these near more valuable plants as traps for the aphids. The aphids will likely go for these plants before your prized tomatoes. (Check your trap plants regularly to keep aphid populations from jumping to your valued plants.)
    • Nasturtiums spoil the taste of fruit tree sap for aphids and will help keep aphids off of broccoli.
    • Garlic and chives repel aphids when planted near lettuce, peas, and rose bushes.
Ladybug larva
Ladybug larvae look scary, but they are one of the top aphid predators. If you see them on your plants, leave them be! 

Using Alcohol to Control Aphids

Isopropyl alcohol (also called isopropanol or rubbing alcohol) works fine and is easy to find, but be sure it doesn’t have additives. Ethanol (grain alcohol) seems to work best. Alcohol usually comes in 70 percent strength in stores (or 95 percent strength purchased commercially). To make an insecticidal alcohol solution, mix equal parts 70 percent alcohol and water (or, if using 95 percent alcohol, mix 1 part alcohol to 1 ½ parts water). 

You can also add alcohol to a soapy emulsion to make it more effective. For example, in a spray bottle, combine 5 cups water, 2 cups isopropyl alcohol, and 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap. 

These types of solutions should NOT be sprayed over the entire plant at once. Spray or wipe down only the infested areas. It will only kill the aphids it comes into contact with, so repeated applications may be necessary.

CAUTION: When applying an alcohol or soap spray, or a combination, always test on a small area of the plant first, and apply in the morning or evening, when the Sun is not as intense. Watch the plant for a few days for any adverse reactions before applying more. Plants can be sensitive to alcohol and dish soap. Also, some soaps have additives that can damage plants—select the purest form.

Check out this video to learn more about how to get rid of aphids:

Do you have more tips for controlling aphids? Let us know in the comments below!

Garden Pests

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the digital home of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. She leads digital editorial strategy and publishing across a wide range of Almanac sub...

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Brie</span> Sun, 12/09/2018 - 22:41
It might have been mentioned here, but aphids typically grow wings when their colony becomes crowded - usually if they're all squished together on one leaf. Their 'honeydew' will attract nearby ants. To deal with the aphids: Mix 1 tsp dawn dish soap (or liquid dish soap meant for hand-washing dishes) in a typical quart-sized spray bottle of water. Spray down your ENTIRE plant really well - get it nice n' sudsy because aphids go for the leaves, stems, flowers...everything. Lightly spray the soil around the plant, increasing the perimeter you cover depending on how big your plant is. If the plant's leaves are densely packed, close to the ground, and could be hiding aphids and ants, lift the leaves and spray underneath of them, soil included. You can leave this for up to 4 hours before rinsing your plant gently with water to wash away bugs and soap. You'll likely have to do this once per week for 1 month, and then keep a close eye out for any further pests. You can also bring in ladybugs to help you keep pests under control - they're beneficial for more than just aphids and there are zero downsides to having them in your garden. I have personally bought the 1500 live ladybugs and 'Hirt's Nature Nectar' pack, available on Amazon. I recommend following the 'ladybug release' tips on their page. Some sources mention natural soil treatments -- using banana peels for aphids, and orange peels for ants and aphids -- but I wouldn't try that until you solve your ant problem. The soapy water should work for ants. Just keep in mind that ants leave a trail of scent wherever they go in order to help their fellow ants find their way to a food source. If the dish soap water doesn't work for ants, you can spray vinegar or lemon juice on the soil - wherever you don't want ants to be. They don't like citris or acid. There are options for using ant poison that the ants can pack back to their colony, but please pay mind to your beneficial wildlife and pets before choosing this option. You can also use diatomaceous earth around your plant, but that will kill beneficial insects that come in contact with it (ladybugs included.) Hope this helps you!
<span>Kathy</span> Mon, 06/11/2018 - 12:32
Your mention of ants along with aphids is interesting. I have seen ants herd aphids. The aphids collect the sugary sap and the ants have them carry it home for them. Sometimes bugs are more resourceful than we think!
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 06/01/2018 - 15:05

Some aphids can develop wings, or they could be whiteflies. Check out our pest page for whiteflies for advice on dealing with them. Our above advice for dealing with aphids should work on these pests as well.

 <span>Jerelyn</span> Fri, 05/25/2018 - 23:37
I have tiny white bugs on the stems of my strawberry plans in the PNW. They are very tiny but have a black spot or two, maybe eyes? Would these be aphids? Thanks!
<span>Annieb</span> Thu, 07/05/2018 - 23:56
That’s the crazy coolest thing I’ve heard all season! Take a movie next time you catch them in the act?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 05/29/2018 - 10:15

If the buys have tiny light green bodies and little black eyes, those are indeed aphids. Follow the advice on this page.

 <span>Allison</span> Tue, 05/22/2018 - 17:53
We have a ton of aphids nesting in the buds of our Shasta daisies. A bunch of ladybugs have taken up residency as well to eat the aphids, but there are so many that I fear our ladybugs aren’t going to be the full solution. Are any of these mixes (dish soap/water/cayenne) going to harm the ladybugs as well? I don’t want to hurt them if I can help it.
<span>Carrie Gurney</span> Sat, 03/02/2019 - 21:16
Are green white striped catapillers harmful to Basil plants
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 05/23/2018 - 14:15

The agents you name could harm the ladybugs. Alternatively, you could put out some borax ant bait traps. Read other comments below to acquire more knowledge about what works.

 <span>Kytty Vance</span> Mon, 05/21/2018 - 12:53
Acticle states use catnip to repel aphids, but my problem my catnip patch is what has been invaded badly.....