Description
Aphids (Aphidoidea) are a superfamily of insects in the order Hemiptera, comprising more than 3,500 species, several hundred of which occur in Poland. They appear in huge numbers and feed on plants. Most of them are crop pests.
They are small insects with soft, delicate bodies and membranous wings, often reduced. The abdomen is barrel-shaped and clearly segmented. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis.
They are green or black, drop-shaped, from half a millimetre to two millimetres long. They usually gather in very large groups under the leaves, on young shoots and buds, where they suck the sap. The plant becomes stunted. Aphids easily transmit viral diseases to healthy plants, so they must be eliminated as quickly as possible.
They can usually be seen with the naked eye, and they are also easy to recognise by their sticky secretion.
Control
There are many chemical products, but a solution of soap and spirit also works well. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of soap in 5 litres of water and add 100 ml of methylated spirit. Wipe the affected areas with a small brush, wash the stems and leaves several times with the solution, and then rinse thoroughly with water.