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Treating it
Biological control · Aphids
Green peach, melon, potato, foxglove and other aphids
Aphids give birth to live young without mating, so a few on a new shoot become a colony in about a week. Biological control matches that speed: Aphidius wasps turn aphids into mummies that hatch more wasps, Aphidoletes midge larvae clear dense colonies, and lacewing larvae and ladybugs eat them outright. Keep the ants off, pick the predator that fits your aphid, and repeat until new growth stays clean.
1Confirm it
Two tiny tubes at the back end mean aphids, whatever the color. Size and where they sit tell you which wasp to use.
Getting the pest wrong is the most common reason treatment fails. Check the signs, or answer a few quick questions.
Soft, pear-shaped insects packed on tips, buds and leaf undersides
Shiny honeydew on the leaves below, sometimes with black sooty mold
Leaves pucker and twist where colonies feed
A sign the colony is crowded and starting to spread
Quick check
Size, color and where they sit tell you which one you have, and that decides which predator works. Drawn to the same scale.
| Type | Size | How to spot it | Where it sits | What works |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green peach aphidMyzus persicae | 1.2–2.3 mm | Small and pear-shaped. Pale green to yellowish, sometimes pink, with medium-length cornicles | Packed on new growth, buds and leaf undersides | Aphidius colemaniAphidius matricariaeMatricariae if the room runs cool |
| Melon or cotton aphidAphis gossypii | 0.9–1.8 mm | Small and round. Mottled dark green to yellow, with short dark cornicles | New growth and flower buds. A regular on hibiscus and citrus | Aphidius colemani |
| Potato aphidMacrosiphum euphorbiae | 1.7–3.6 mm | Large and wedge-shaped. Green or pink, with long legs and long cornicles | Spread along stems and flower spikes | Aphidius ervi |
| Foxglove aphidAulacorthum solani | 1.8–3.0 mm | Large and glossy pale green, with a darker patch at the base of each cornicle and dark leg joints | Lower leaves and stems. Drops off the plant when disturbed | Aphidius ervi |
| Oleander aphidAphis nerii | 1.5–2.6 mm | Bright yellow, with black legs, antennae and cornicles | Stems and new growth of hoyas and oleander | Aphidoletes aphidimyzaGreen Lacewing LarvaeA generalist is the better match than the wasps |
| Root aphidsSeveral species | 1.5–2.5 mm | Pale white or tan, often dusted with white wax | On the roots and at the soil line, not on the leaves | Send us a photoDifferent treatment, so we'll help you plan it |
A mix, or can't tell which? Aphidoletes takes over 60 aphid species, so you don't need to know.
Still not sure? Work backwards from the damage or send us a photo.
2Pick a plan
Pick by what you see: early colonies, spreading ones, one big colony, or a hot, dry room.
Show me the plan for , across plants.
If you see
A few clusters on new growth, and you know which aphid
Aphidius colemani is a tiny, stingless wasp that lays an egg inside each aphid. The aphid turns into a tan, papery mummy and a new wasp hatches out to keep going. Best on green peach and melon aphid caught early. For potato or foxglove aphid choose Aphidius ervi, and in a cool room, matricariae.
If you see
Dense clusters on several plants, or you can't tell which aphid
The two aphid specialists in one kit: Aphidius colemani wasps for the small aphids, and Aphidoletes midges, which find colonies by scent and work on over 60 aphid species. The pick for a mixed infestation or an aphid you can't identify, for 15% less than buying them separately.
If you see
Dense colonies across the whole collection
Adds green lacewing eggs to the wasp and midge kit. The larvae that hatch eat every aphid species and handle heat and drier air, so all three are working the plant at once. 15% less than buying them separately.
If you see
A big, visible colony you want knocked back now
Ladybugs for the quick knockdown: release them at dusk on the lower stems and they head straight for the aphids. Most fly off within a day or two, so green lacewing eggs come with them and hatch into larvae that keep hunting after the ladybugs move on. 15% less than buying them separately.
If you see
Aphids where it runs hot or the air is dry
Lacewing larvae eat every aphid species and handle heat and drier air well. They arrive as eggs that hatch about a day after delivery. Tip them across the whole plant in the evening, and they work best in dense foliage.
Other aphid plans
Good to know: Ants first. Ants farm aphids for their honeydew and drive predators off, so ring the base of each stem with sticky tape or a line of diatomaceous earth before you release anything.
Prefer to build it yourself? Shop each predator. Just want to keep aphids out? See prevention. Not sure what you're seeing? Take the quick check.
Or build it yourself
Every predator and parasite we ship for aphids, with bundles first when we have them.
How it works
Wasps multiply as fast as aphids do, midges clear dense colonies, and ladybugs and lacewings eat them outright.
Indoors, aphids skip the egg. Females give birth to live daughters without mating, and those daughters are already carrying the next generation. Warm rooms cancel the switch that would end it in autumn, so an indoor colony keeps going all year. That's why the predators that work best either multiply as fast as the aphids do, like the Aphidius wasps, or clear whole colonies at once.
Eats green peach and melon aphid
Early colonies. Leaves mummies that hatch more wasps. Release in daylight
from $55
from $45
Eats over 60 aphid species
Dense or mixed colonies, or an aphid you can't identify
Eats every aphid species
Warm or drier rooms. Arrive as eggs that hatch in about a day
Eats aphids, plus soft scale and young mealybugs
A quick knockdown on a visible colony. Release at dusk
| Predator | Works on | Eats | Best for | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aphidius colemani | Leaves | Green peach and melon aphid | Early colonies. Leaves mummies that hatch more wasps. Release in daylight | $54 |
| Aphidius ervi | Leaves | Potato, foxglove and pea aphid | The bigger aphids colemani can't develop in | $55 |
| Aphidius matricariae | Leaves | Green peach aphid | A cooler room | $45 |
| Aphidoletes aphidimyza | Leaves | Over 60 aphid species | Dense or mixed colonies, or an aphid you can't identify | $25 |
| Green Lacewing Larvae | Leaves | Every aphid species | Warm or drier rooms. Arrive as eggs that hatch in about a day | $45 |
| Ladybugs | Leaves | Aphids, plus soft scale and young mealybugs | A quick knockdown on a visible colony. Release at dusk | $25 |
3After it arrives
Ants off first, wasps in the morning, everything else at dusk, and repeat every 2–4 weeks.
Before you order
Look for two tiny tubes pointing back from the rear end
While it ships
A ring of sticky tape or diatomaceous earth around each stem base
Take down yellow sticky cards, skip systemic sprays, and wait one day after neem oil or insecticidal soap. Never sulfur
Release day
Release Aphidius in daylight, close to the colonies
Aphidoletes low down on damp, shaded soil; lacewing eggs across the whole plant
Mist the plant first, then set them on the lower stems or soil, never on top
After release
Every 2–4 weeks while aphids are active
Keep going until new growth stays clean two weeks in a row
These are the ranges they like best, not hard limits. Short spells outside them won't hurt; only conditions that last for days slow them down.
Not much to see. The wasps and midges are small, and the aphids keep breeding for a bit
Tan, papery mummies appear among the colonies. That's the wasps working, so leave them to hatch
Fewer aphids on the tips and less fresh honeydew on the leaves below
New growth comes in clean. Curled leaves stay curled, so judge by the new ones
Most failed aphid releases come down to ants, the wrong wasp, or stopping after one round.
Ants left in charge
Ants guard aphids and drive predators off. Band the stems before you release
The wrong wasp for the aphid
Colemani can't develop in potato or foxglove aphid. Use ervi, or Aphidoletes if you're not sure
Yellow cards and systemics
Cards catch the wasps and midges, and systemic sprays poison the aphids they develop in
One release and done
Aphids breed every week. Repeat every 2–4 weeks until new growth stays clean
Short winter days for Aphidoletes
It can stop breeding when days get short. A dim night light that isn't red keeps it going
4Afterwards
Release Aphidius while colonies are small and scattered, before winged aphids spread them.
Aphids ride in on new plants and through open windows, and a colony left alone starts making winged spreaders. Keep new plants apart for a couple of weeks, check the tips and leaf undersides when you water, and if you spot a few, release Aphidius while the colonies are small and scattered. That's the easiest moment to win.
Same sticky honeydew, same ants. Lacewing larvae and ladybugs take young mealybugs too
Honeydew and sooty mold on the same plants. Check the undersides for flat, still nymphs
Winged root aphids land on the same yellow cards as gnats. If cards fill up, check the roots
More about biological control in the Biocontrol FAQ, or ask us.
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Field Notes
If something’s wrong when it arrives, email info@fgmnnursery.com within 72 hours of delivery for a replacement or store credit.
By continuing to checkout you agree to our Shipping Policy and Live Delivery Guarantee.
If something’s wrong when it arrives, email info@fgmnnursery.com within 72 hours of delivery for a replacement or store credit.
By placing your order you agree to our Shipping Policy and Live Delivery Guarantee.
