How To Get Rid of Aphids Naturally

Aphid control starts with understanding how these soft-bodied insects spread and damage plants. The most effective aphid management strategies use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. IPM integrates cultural methods, monitoring, physical barriers, biological controls, and mild treatments as necessary. NaturesGoodGuys offers natural aphid control to treat aphid infestations. 

ABOUT APHIDS

Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that can harm gardens and farms. Different species of aphids come in different colors, such as green, black, yellow, and pink. These insects suck sap from host plants, particularly new and tender growth.

Aphids feed on plant sap and produce a sticky substance called honeydew. This honeydew can attract ants and help sooty molds grow. Aphids reproduce quickly through a-sexual reproduction. This allows one aphid to start a large infestation in no time.

IDENTIFYING INFESTATIONS

Finding aphids on plants early is important for managing them effectively. These insects often gather in groups on the undersides of leaves. New plant growth and high-nitrogen plants attract them. They like succulent leaves, especially roses, milkweed, and vegetables like tomatoes and peppers.

Ornamental plants like crape myrtle shrubs, marigolds, zinnias, and various fruit trees also attract them. Look for signs of aphid damage like:

• Sticky honeydew on plants
• Leaf curl from aphids 
• Yellowing leaves or yellow spots
• Black sooty mold
• Presence of ants
• General decline in plant health and vigor

LIFE CYCLE

Aphids rapidly increase in large numbers due to asexual reproduction, allowing them to reproduce independently without requiring a partner. In mild weather, populations can double in just a few days. In the adult stage, colonies become crowded, and winged aphids appear. This helps infestations spread quickly to nearby plants.

APHIDS AND ANTS: THE HIDDEN PARTNERSHIP

Ants often “farm” aphids for their honeydew and will protect them from predators. If ants are present, your efforts to control aphids with beneficial insects may not work as well. Managing ants can greatly improve the success of biological aphid control.

CULTURAL STRATEGIES

Cultural methods aim to establish an environment that benefits plants while being less inviting to pests. Keeping soil healthy, rotating crops, using mulch, and companion planting are good practices. These methods help create conditions that aid in aphid management.

PHYSICAL / MECHANICAL CONTROL

Physical or mechanical control methods use barriers, tools, or techniques to prevent, monitor, or manage aphid populations. We offer a range of products to help prevent aphids naturally, including:

• Yellow Sticky Traps for early detection and monitoring of infestations.
• Beneficial Insect Netting to keep beneficial insects while keeping out harmful ones.
• Diatomaceous Earth to create unfavorable conditions for soft-bodied pest insects.

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

Aphids rapid reproduction and tendency to develop pesticide resistance makes them one of the most challenging garden pests. Effective control needs a combined approach.

We offer a wide range of natural predators for chemical-free pest management. Use predators for quick population reduction. Use parasitoids for targeted or long-term suppression.  As long as there is food source and the right environmental conditions, these helpful insects can thrive and control pests all season. 

GENERAL PREDATORS

Insects like green lacewings, ladybugs and Orius target their prey by eating aphids whole or extracting body fluids.

• Ladybugs are great at managing aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, mites, thrips, and more.
• Green Lacewing Larvae are effective against aphids, small caterpillars, mealybugs, whiteflies, mites, scale, thrips, and more.
• Orius insidiosus (Minute Pirate Bug) targets all life stages of thrips, mites, moth eggs, aphids, and more.

FOCUSED MANAGEMENT

Rather than feeding on aphids like predators, parasitic wasps lay eggs inside the living aphid. The parasitic larva develops inside the aphid host, gradually consuming it from within. Although they are called "parasitic wasps," they are only about 3mm in size and do not bother people or pets.

• Aphidius colemani controls small aphids, including black bean, brown citrus, cherry, cotton, and foxglove. It also targets green apple, green peach, honeysuckle, lettuce, melon, pea, peach, potato, rose, and more.
• Aphidius ervi is good at managing large aphids. These include black bean, cherry, honeysuckle, lettuce, melon, pea, peach, potato, rose, and more.
• Aphelinus abdominalis is especially efficient against foxglove and potato aphid species. It also targets black bean, brown citrus, cotton, green apple, green peach, greenhouse, melon, pea, rose, and additional species.
• Aphidoletes aphidimyza You can manage more than 60 types of aphids. This includes black bean, cherry, honeysuckle, lettuce, melon, pea, peach, potato, rose, and more.
• Aphid Double Mix The Aphid Double Mix has A. colemani and A. ervi. 
• Aphid Triple Mix has A. colemani, A. ervi, and A. abdominalis.

WHEN TO RELEASE

The timing of biological control is crucial for success. Introduce beneficial insects at the start of the growing season, preferably before aphid numbers explode. Early introductions allow predators and parasitoids to establish themselves and manage aphids before they cause significant plant damage. 

SOFT CHEMICAL CONTROL

You can often manage light infestations with monitoring and releasing beneficial insects early. For moderate infestations, use a combination of beneficial insects and targeted treatments. Severe infestations need soft chemical knockdown for aphid treatment, then a release of beneficial insects to prevent re-infestation. We offer gentle chemical solutions, including neem oil, horticulture oils and insecticidal soap as treatment options. 

APHID FAQs

What plants attract aphid predators?

Beneficial insects that prey on aphids, including ladybugs, lacewings, parasitic wasps, orius, and rove beetles, are drawn to plants with small, flat, open flowers. Good choices include alyssum, dill, yarrow, buckwheat, sunflowers, and cosmos. Planting these throughout your garden or farm creates a habitat that supports a natural population of aphid predators all season long.

On a larger scale, this practice is known as Farmscaping. Farmscaping is the intentional design of landscapes to attract and support beneficial insects. Ladybugs are a particularly valuable addition since they feed on the eggs of a wide range of pest species.

Want to go deeper? The ATTRA National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service offers an excellent free resource:
Farmscaping to Enhance Biologicial Control covers how to design your growing space.

What temperature do aphids die?

Aphids thrive in moderate conditions, with their ideal temperature range sitting between 65–77°F. On the hot end, active aphid populations begin to die off when temperatures consistently exceed 90°F. Heat and high humidity are natural population knockdown events that can work in your favor during summer.

Cold tolerance is more complicated. Adult aphids are not cold-hardy and generally do not survive sustained temperatures much below freezing (32°F). However, aphid eggs are a different story. They are remarkably resilient and can overwinter in leaf litter and garden debris, surviving deep into sub-zero temperatures. This is why aphid populations can rebound quickly in spring even after a harsh winter.

The practical takeaway: don't rely on winter cold to solve an aphid problem. Focus on early-season biological control before populations build, and remove plant debris in fall to reduce overwintering egg sites.