Are the aphids bad at your house this year?

[jerp]

Through the dry part of the summer was they weren't to bad but the big rain we got around September 1st must have jump-started the aphid population. My 1 acre lot has dozens of cedar elms and oaks and the honeydew (aphid poop) is falling like rain. The stuff is actually puddling on the patio and the outdoor furniture is a sticky mess. And forget parking under a tree - just overnight my truck will be covered with the stuff. On bushes and shrubs they can be treated or knocked off with a hose but that's not practical with 35-40' trees. I guess I'll just have to put up with it till the first freeze.

[Smart]

I use this stuff and it works like a champ. My trees aren't as big as your but they are in the 30s.. It's not super cheap and if you can, I'd at least use it around the bases of the trees over your car in the spring.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TSPF9U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[bigjohntex]

Last year was the worst I had ever seen! This year, so far, not to bad yet. I hope it doesn't get as bad as last year. Everything was covered in that sticky mess!

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[buckfan50]

What does it look like?

Does it look like a fine mist overspray on your vehicle?

[tigerscowboy]

Be smarter. Just spray with a dishwashing soap and water solution. They live under the leaves so you need to spray up vs down from above. That easy.

[tigerscowboy]

The aphid doesn't kill the plant. Their waste stops photosynthesis with the plant.

[jerp]

Does it look like a fine mist overspray on your vehicle?

Yes. It washes off easy and does not harm vehicle paint - just an annoyance

[buckfan50]

Yes. It washes off easy and does not harm vehicle paint - just an annoyance

We had it here and I wasn't sure what it was. Thanks

[Roy D Mercer]

this year is as bad as i have ever seen it. Mine is more like sticky rain drops on the driveway.

[Jay-J]

I was wondering what that crap was? Thank goodness it washes off easy.

[Bud]

Yes. This is the worst I’ve ever seen it.

[Tryton]

I had them bad this year but before I sprayed the lady bugs moved in. More than I have ever seen. The underside of my okra leaves are complete carnage.

[HoustonHunter94]

Really bad. Same as above, my okra plants just got hammered and fine mist on my truck in the driveway. Annoying.

[bowaddict40]

I had no idea that is what that was. I just assumed it was sap. I parked my truck under a pecan tree across the street for the weekend. I could not see out any of the windows and the doors where stuck shut. It is horrible this year.

[Briar Friar]

Yes.
An aphid poop switch was thrown on after the last big rain. I mainly see it from the pecans and crepe myrtles. The pecans are taking it well. Between the dry conditions and aphids, the crepe myrtles are defoliating early.

That stuff that Smart recommended has been around for a long while. The main chemical used to be Imidacloprid whereas I couldnt see the current active ingredient from the link. Packaging looks the same from almost 20 years ago.

Geek note: Many aphid species are born pregnant. Hence the reason why population numbers can expand quickly. Also this allows for rapid pesticide resistance to develop.