Are these aphids?

[thistlebloom]

Aphids, once they multiply, develop wings and move on. Of course they are pregnant with pregnant offspring. Which is why predators are of limited use.

I agree. But they are of some use. I released ladybugs every season with the kids garden class, mostly for the visual and hands on aspect. I didn't see much in the way of control until the 3rd year, when we saw a lot of eggs and larvae (ladybug) and the following year a lot less aphids. Could be my timing happened to be better with the release, or maybe coincidence. I don't really know.

 

[TwinCitiesPanda]

Thank you all. I was unable to get a better photo, they are very tiny and I have the shakiest hands! I haven’t been able to do anything since I posted. I’ve been working non-stop and tonight when I got home-after a dreadful day- it was pouring rain. At least it felt right for my mood. After a bath and some wine I’m determined to set aside a half hour in the morning to try and combat the issue.

It was dumb luck I found these bugs at all, the plants showed no sign of attack at all. I was just battling three striped potato bugs on my ground cherries (oh don’t get me started- I keep catching them fornicating on my fruits) and decided to check my potatoes and potato-leafed tomatoes to be sure they hadn’t made the jump. Sure enough they have only made camp in the ground cherries, but someone totally different had set up shop on the tomatoes and peppers. That’s officially all my vegetables currently planted. Having issues with various bugs. I’ll see you in the morning, presumed aphids!

 

[flowerbug]

Thank you all. I was unable to get a better photo, they are very tiny and I have the shakiest hands! I haven’t been able to do anything since I posted. I’ve been working non-stop and tonight when I got home-after a dreadful day- it was pouring rain. At least it felt right for my mood. After a bath and some wine I’m determined to set aside a half hour in the morning to try and combat the issue.

It was dumb luck I found these bugs at all, the plants showed no sign of attack at all. I was just battling three striped potato bugs on my ground cherries (oh don’t get me started- I keep catching them fornicating on my fruits) and decided to check my potatoes and potato-leafed tomatoes to be sure they hadn’t made the jump. Sure enough they have only made camp in the ground cherries, but someone totally different had set up shop on the tomatoes and peppers. That’s officially all my vegetables currently planted. Having issues with various bugs. I’ll see you in the morning, presumed aphids!

good luck!

 

[seedcorn]

Dad’s recipe for them and squash bugs was used soapy water from dishes and/or clothes washer. Soap messes with their digestive system. As it would ours IF we drank the stuff....

 

[ducks4you]

Don't know why I am thinking this, BUT have you thought about filling in the spaces between your vegetables with other plants? One good one is radishes. They will, I KNOW, grow and bolt immediately, but they produce a flower, their roots will fill in where weeds want to grow and they should attract insects that can eat your aphids. TOO MANY garden photos show your plants as "islands". They dry out and are then susceptible to disease and to munching insects. Let the aphids eat on your radishes, or heck, even GRASS growing there will be attacked. I am always too busy to keep up with weeds, but I have noticed for many years now, that the weeds will take the hits many times inSTEAD of my vegetables. Doesn't look picture perfect, but I have had good harvests bc of this. Worth a try?

 

[TwinCitiesPanda]

Update: I went back out a couple days ago to check on things. The little buggers are still there, but the population hasn’t recovered from my previous pruning of heavily infested leaves. I still don’t know what they are, but they fall off (or jump) so easily I decided not to use neem oil. I spent some time simply shaking the plants, then watered. There isn’t any visible damage from them, so I’m waiting it out. I may use a jet of water to clean individual leaves later. I now have lots of blooms on my marigolds, and I have lots of spiders (eew), dragonflies, and assorted bees about the place who will hopefully do their job.

In short: the beat goes on.