How To Get Rid Of Wooly Aphids Naturally? Helpful Tips

Did you spot a small, wool-like white speck moving across your plant? Be careful; it could be a wooly aphid! Here’s how to get rid of wooly aphids naturally in case you are already facing an infestation.

Aphids, also known as plant lice, greenflies, or garden lice, are some of the most common garden pests in the world. They thrive on plant sap as their primary food source. But what makes them so dangerous is the lightning speed at which they multiply.

There are 4,000 species of aphids, one of which is the woolly aphid. If you see these tiny, cotton-like insects walking around on your plant, start looking for ways to get rid of them! We will help you in your quest in the blog below.

How To Remove Aphids

You can get rid of woolly aphid infestation in two ways:

• Using organic ways such as beneficial insects etc.
• Using common household items to repel them
• Chemical repellents and insecticides

You can also remove aphid and aphid eggs by hand. But since these tiny insects multiply quickly, it will be difficult to keep up. In this article, we will only focus on the first two types of methods.

Does Neem Oil Kill Aphids?

Neem oil is a plant-based concentrated oil that effectively removes woolly aphid infestation. You can spray the oil directly on plant leaves to remove the infestation. Neem oil also helps to prevent wooly aphids.

Neem oil doesn’t cause any harm to other beneficial insects, including ladybugs, bees, spiders, butterflies, and parasitic wasps. It is a natural pest-repellent that is readily available in the market and is cost-effective.

You can spray pure and organic neem oil on aphid eggs, larvae, or adult aphids. You can also get a pre-mixed spray from the market.

Does Diatomaceous Earth Kill Aphids?

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is another natural insect repellant. DE comes from aquatic microbes called diatoms that died thousands of years ago and got fossilized over the period. Its main active ingredient is silica. You can find DE in lakes, rivers, and other such places.

While this powder doesn’t harm humans, it can be toxic to pests, including aphids. DE is able to cut through the outer skin of aphids, removing moisture from their skin. Due to extreme dehydration, aphids end up dying.

Does Vinegar Kill Aphids?

Yes, vinegar kills aphids and also helps to repel them. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which combines with water to form toxic acetate ions. This solution is very effective in putting an end to an entire aphid population.

Another common question that we hear from our readers is: can vinegar kill aphids on hibiscus? The answer is yes, vinegar will kill aphids on hibiscus and other outdoor plants.

However, many users complain that spraying a vinegar solution directly on plants can damage them, so we would advise you against it.

Does Soapy Water Kill Aphids?

Yes, soapy water is another effective and natural remedy to deter aphids. You only need to make a soap-water solution and pour the mixture into a spray bottle.

Then, spray the mixture on aphids directly. It will destroy aphid colonies in time. However, remember to use castile soap or other insecticidal soap that doesn’t cause harm to the plants.

Like neem oil spray, a soapy mixture only kills pests like aphids, mites, mealy bugs, scale, etc. It doesn’t cause harm to beneficial insects such as ladybugs.

Does Hydrogen Peroxide Kill Aphids?

Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) helps kill aphids and disinfects your precious plants. It attacks the blood cells of these pests and kills them quite quickly.

You can mix ¼ cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide with rubbing alcohol (about 2 tsp) and ¼ tsp of any wetting agent. Pour the mixture into a spray and use it directly on the aphid infestation.

Do Banana Peels Keep Aphids Away?

Banana peels help deter aphids from infesting your precious plants. It contains a substance name tannins, which is also present in most insecticides.

You need to know how to use banana peels properly. Slice banana peels into small pieces put them under the infected plant, and you should see the result in a couple of days.

Sometimes, banana peels can also attract aphids or other pests to your plants because of their bright color. It would be best to smash the peel properly before using it.

Can You Drown Aphids?

If fully submerged under water, wooly aphids might drown. Aphids breathe through their bodies from pores known as spiracles that take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide.

When submerged in water, these pores get blocked. If they remain submerged for a long time, the pests will suffocate and die.

Spray water from a garden hose on them for 5-10 minutes to drown them. Make sure you keep them underwater for a long while. Aphids are hardy and can save unused oxygen for later, so it might take a while for them to drown.

Does Alcohol Kill Aphids?

You can use pure rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) that you can find at any pharmacy to kill wooly aphids. Make sure that the alcohol doesn’t have anything else added to it.

Mix 1 part of alcohol with 1.5 parts of water and add one tbsp of dishwashing liquid. Put in a dash of cayenne powder, and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Make sure to only use this mix directly on the bugs since it can harm the host plants.

How To Control Aphids Organically?

Prevention is better than cure! Instead of killing aphids, try to prevent them from reaching your garden in the first place. There are many ways to do this, such as letting loose predatory insects that prey on them and using pest-repellant plants. Let’s discuss this in more detail.

Beneficial insects

Ladybugs, damsel bugs, green lacewings, hoverflies, parasitic wasps, etc., are natural enemies of aphids. These bugs can be quite beneficial for your plants.

To attract them naturally to your garden, you can plant nectar-filled flowers like cosmos and nasturtiums. You can also buy these natural predators commercially, but to avail of maximum benefits, follow the instructions given on the package.

Plants with natural pest-repelling properties

Another way to deter aphids from your garden is to grow plants with a powerful aroma. Some examples of such plants include cat nip, marigold, cilantro, chives, and fennel.

Plant them in your garden bed and allow them to grow to keep aphids and other pests at a distance. It is advisable to plant them close to plants prone to aphid or pest infestation.

The fragrance of their flowers will chase away aphids, and you won’t have to turn to chemicals or insecticides.

Plant a trap crop

A trap crop is a decoy plant. It is something attractive that aphids can feed on so that more important plants can remain safe from them. Some examples of trap crops include apple trees, calendula, nettles, and nasturtiums.

Plant your trap crop close to the plant you want to protect from aphids.

Another thing to remember is to plant the trap crop on the garden’s perimeter so that pests may start working up from them.

Lastly, plant the trap crop a few weeks before your valuable plants so they can flourish before your valuable plants grow up.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kills aphids instantly?

Neem oil spray or soapy insecticides remove aphids and other pests from your plants immediately. Alcohol solution (1 part alcohol with 1.5 part water) is another remedy that instantly kills aphids.

You can also use chemical repellents, but they may also cause harm to your valuable plants or other beneficial insects in your garden.

Will Dawn dish soap kill aphids?

You can use Dawn dish soap to kill aphids and some other pests. The soap’s acid can drown the tiny insects’ exoskeleton.

You can mix Dawn dish liquid with water in a 1:5 ratio and put the solution in a spray bottle. Just spray it all over the infested plants and watch the aphids disappear!

Why do I have woolly aphids?

Plant sap is the primary food source of woolly aphids. Woolly aphids cluster around the sap of plants and plant tissue to suck the sugary juices out of them. This is why you can often find these pests in vegetable gardens, orchards, and ornamental flower gardens.

How long do woolly aphids last?

The typical lifecycle of a woolly aphid is about 4 to 5 weeks. Even though their life cycle is small, aphids can still damage your precious plants.

Since these pests can reproduce super quickly, you should use your pest control methods liberally and several times to control them.

Wrap Up

Even though there are several natural ways to remove them from your precious plants, the best option is to use preventive measures.

Putting in beneficial insects, trap crops, or natural pest-repellant plants will help keep wooly aphid infestations at bay.

If you are already facing an infestation, neem oil, DE, vinegar, soapy water, and alcohol solution are all good ways to repel wooly aphids naturally.

Thank you for reading!