Aphids Are Out in Full Force This Summer in Anchorage

September 5, 2017 8:45 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Summer is the perfect season for growing many types of plants. Vegetables, flowers and shrubs are able to grow strong with the long days and comfortable temperatures. But aphids can ruin this prime growing season. Somehow, these tiny insects can destroy even the hardiest garden when they come out in full force during the Alaskan summer. An aphid infestation can be difficult to prevent, as they tend to multiply extremely quickly. By the time you spot them, they’ve probably already started reproducing, which makes calling for a pest inspection in Alaska at the first sign of aphids such a critical step.

Luckily, an aphid infestation can be controlled. Here are a few tips to help identify the pest so you can save your plants from aphids this summer.

What are aphids?

Aphids are small insects with soft bodies. They can be found in practically every environment. They come in a variety of different colors, including white, black, brown or gray. Aphids are most commonly white, with a waxy looking coating. They have six long legs paired with two long cornicles on the tail end of their body. The aphids most commonly found in Alaska typically don’t have wings, but they can develop wings to adapt to a lack of food in their current area. A pest control specialist can easily determine whether it’s an aphid by conducting a simple pest inspection in Alaska.

What damage can they cause?

Aphids love to feed on the juices of plants. They’ll attack everything from the leaves to the flowers and roots. The damage to your plants is often the most telling sign of an aphid infestation. Following an aphid attack, the leaves will become yellow, curled or misshapen. After they reach a plant, it will become covered in the clear, sticky substance they excrete, known as honeydew. This substance will look shiny and feel sticky to the touch. Once the honeydew has been excreted, the growth of the plant will begin to slow before eventually dying off entirely.

How to prevent aphids

Unfortunately, aphids are commonplace during the summer season in Anchorage. Taking a few simple steps can help prevent a major infestation from ruining your garden. Beneficial insects can help to naturally keep your garden free of aphids. Bugs such as lady beetles, parasitic wasps and lacewings feed on the aphids. They’ll keep the population under control before it ever becomes a problem.

Another option is to utilize companion plants to repel them. Planting catnip, garlic and chives will serve as a natural repellent. Additionally, aphids are attracted to mustard, which makes it the perfect option for a bait plant near an aphid trap.

Luckily, there’s still hope for your garden even if aphids have struck. Have your local exterminator conduct a pest inspection in Alaska. They will then be able to exterminate the aphids quickly and effectively before taking the necessary steps to prevent the bugs from returning in the future.

Contact the professionals at Pied Piper Pest Control to start taking your garden back from these pests today. We look forward to helping you!

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