how to get rid of ####### afids and lacewings

[troypearce]

Hello all,

I have a terrible case of aphids and lacewings in my green house grow beds..... i have been using diatomaceous earth, and garlic pepper soap mineral oil and alchohol mix to try to control these pests..... i know the aphids are planted by ants so I guess i also need to know how to control ants as well.... what I am doing now is fogging with de and then following up a day or two later with garlic mix and then a day or two and de again..... but this is not stopping them..... daily I even go out to the green house and spend 20 min or so spraying the buggers of with a strong spray of water but they are winning and my lettuce is not doing as well as I would expect.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

Troy :oops:

[keith_r]

in a greenhouse you should be able to use some good bugs like ladybugs or lacewing

[rfeiller]

Aphids are a nightmare out her in greenhouses, two days ago I released the second batch of ladybugs. The first was before Christmas. It is cold and the little buggers are either migrating out through the cracks,or falling into the water and dying. Most of the visible aphids are gone already in two days, but they'll be back and the ladybugs will be gone. A little reprieve for the Chile plants.

[badflash]

Lacewings are good bugs and eat aphids. DE is a good remedy for aphids, as is a mild soap spray. Use the soap first, then the DE. Be sure it is garden soap and not standard detergent.

[JCO]

So, how did you finally solve your aphid problem...give us an update...photos would be nice :mrgreen:

[rfeiller]

i don't know how troypearce did, but only a few ladybugs are left with about 10 million aphids, mealy bugs, scale, slugs, and only god knows what else. thats another reason i've set up outside. the orchids have really suffered with the aquaponics in the greenhouse.

[urbanfarmer]

Wait, your ladybugs DIDN'T take care of the problem? I had infestations of biblical proportions and was about to spray, but I kept seeing lady bugs laying eggs so I waited, and waited, and then all of a sudden BAM! no infestation. To this day, I have lady bugs hanging out in the garden.

http://img.izzy4real.com/DIYAP/ladybug.jpg

Bad camera is bad.

[rfeiller]

still waiting
they did great for awhile then disappeared, some lava and some adults still hang out. huge investation of insects in greenhouse.

[badflash]

Something I will try this year is CO2. I will be brewing beer and fuel in the greenhouse. If you get the CO2 up a bit the bugs die, the plants thrive. I'll need to supply air for the fish, but it just might work.

[rfeiller]

now there is a double whammi! beer for bugs or is it bugs for beer? you are right CO2 will kill the bugs, have to shut off pumps and air on all of the tanks. or do you think just constant elevated CO2 will control them?

[swamp creek farms]

yall know what attracts lady bugs ? i was going to bribe some kids to find some. i have aphids in the greenhouse too. i thought i had them licked when i pulled all of my plants, and washed the GB out with soap and water, i did kill millions of them, now they are back and on my broccoli and some tomatoes. covered this with them tho. im afraid to go in there and mess with them cause i dont want it to spread to my other systems

[keith_r]

i always heard marigolds, or bright yellow flowers did, but
a quick google turned up this list of plants that attract ladybugs;
Achillea filipendulina Fern-leaf yarrow
Achillea millefolium Common yarrow
Ajuga reptans Carpet bugleweed
Alyssum saxatilis Basket of Gold
Anethum graveolens Dill
Anthemis tinctoria Golden marguerite
Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly weed
Atriplex canescens Four-wing saltbush
Coriandrum sativum Coriander
Daucus Carota Queen Anne's lace
Fagopyrum esculentum Buckwheat
Foeniculum vulgare Fennel
Helianthus maximilianii Prairie sunflower
Penstemon strictus Rocky Mt. penstemon
Potentilla recta 'warrenii' Sulfur cinquefoil
Potentilla villosa Alpine cinquefoil
Tagetes tenuifolia Marigold - lemon gem
Tanacetum vulgare Tansy
Taraxacum officinale Dandelion
Veronica spicata Spike speedwell
Vicia villosa Hairy vetch

[swamp creek farms]

any ideas quicker than waiting for a plant to grow? and hoping a lady finds the way to it.

[keith_r]

you can buy a bunch from home depot (online only) or check local nurseries... i got mine from home depot, free delivery

[urbanfarmer]

any ideas quicker than waiting for a plant to grow? and hoping a lady finds the way to it.
OR, catch them and bring them to your garden. Be careful, a ladybug bit me once. It feels like a very small sharp pinch, and it doesn't leave any marks or anything. If you are handling a few hundred or thousand it can be unpleasant. I didn't know they could bite a human until that experience! :lol:

[rfeiller]

You didn't touch her inappropriatly did you? :lol:

[urbanfarmer]

You didn't touch her inappropriatly did you? :lol:
Ya know... I probably did, but I think it was a GUY ladybug... :o :o :o I'm going ladybug gaga!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[swamp creek farms]

That might not have been a bite there buddy. :lol:

[urbanfarmer]

That might not have been a bite there buddy. :lol:
OH GOD :lol: :lol: :lol: ONLY gardeners could make these kinds of jokes... haha