Hi Heliopsis fans, RE: red aphids infestation on false sunflower
I was intrigued by the water in pail method and tried it. Those little aphid buggers hung on to the stems for dear life (indeed) sometimes encased in air bubbles. I gave up and went to my "red glove" method, which I've used past years along with the spray method described above.
I go out to my stately large plant, now partly covered with smatterings of aphids snacking away at Heliopsis blooms on the decline (perhaps a softening of the stems?)
I take a pair of old, worn, washable gloves and grasping a red aphid covered stem at the lower part, where the aphid colony starts its feasting line-up, zip the stem from the bottom toward the aging bloom. Takes me about 10-15 minutes.
My red gloves are covered with a few remains, and a few aphids fly away, but most die immediately in the zip glove method. What's more, I do think the remains of dead aphids are possibly noted by new red aphid recruits. (Perhaps like Japanese beetle traps left to warn off new beetles arriving.)
I went back to my water pail, swished it around to drown the floating aphids AFTER rescuing a couple lady bugs that hopefully will devour more aphids that I missed.
I hope that helps,
~ Bestest
