Are Aphids Bad for Plants?

Aphids are found on the underside of leaves, and it is not easy to spot and identify them. Amongst gardeners, it’s safe to say that they have a dire reputation. But is this for good reason and are aphids that bad for plants?

Aphids are bad for plants as their saliva causes the leaves to curl, turn yellow, and have stunted growth.

While aphids are bad for plants, all plants do not react the same to aphids. Some plants are more sensitive towards aphids, while others are not affected by them at all.

If plants are well-established, aphids will cause them no harm. It is only newer plants that are vulnerable to aphids. 

 Do Aphids Damage Plants?

Aphids can be a gardener’s worst nightmare because they can damage new plants. While some plants are not susceptible to aphids damage, there are some that aphids can severely affect.

Aphids multiply and spread rapidly, making them more dangerous and difficult to get rid of. 

Since aphids are small insects, it is not easy to spot them in plants, especially if you have never had an infestation before. However, you can tell if your garden is home to aphids by the damage your plants face. 

If a plant is infested with aphids, it will not thrive like other healthy plants. When aphids infest a plant, they suck on and eat the leaves, which causes them to curl and turn yellow because of their saliva.

Moreover, the plant will suffer from stunted growth as opposed to a healthy one. 

The best thing you can do for your garden is to look for early signs of aphid infestations. For example, you can check the underside of the leaves to see if any tiny aphids are hiding there. Aphids also lay their eggs on the underside of leaves. 

Is It Bad to Kill Aphids?

If you have aphids in your garden, your first instinct will be to kill them. However, while aphids are bad for plants, they do not harm all plants – only vulnerable ones. 

But can it be bad to kill aphids? It may come as a surprise but it can be bad for your garden if you were to kill all the aphids.

As aphids have many predators, like ladybugs and lacewings, their presence attracts them to your garden. However, when you kill all the aphids in your garden, these natural predators move to another place.

It’s important to choose which aphids to kill. If there are aphids causing havoc on new plants then, by all means, get rid of them. If there are a few aphids on a few leaves on an established rose bush then leave them be.

If you have a temporary aphid infestation, it can be dealt with by hosing them down or letting nature take control.

If you do choose to kill them, always avoid using chemicals or pesticides which can have a detrimental impact on the environment and other wildlife.

Are Aphids Beneficial?

As much as aphids have to deal with a bad reputation among gardeners, there can be some benefits to having them in your garden. 

Aphids are small insects and have small bodies, which make them an easy target. Many other insects are aphid predators. Some of the predators of aphids are insects that are beneficial to have in your garden. Some beneficial bugs that feed on aphids are lacewings, soldier beetles, parasitic wasps, and more. 

It is best to have a few aphids in your garden to attract some of these beneficial insects. However, the insects are also predators of other insects that may cause harm to your garden.

While not all insects that prey on aphids are beneficial, it is good to maintain diversity as it prevents an outbreak of pests in gardens. 

Another reason why having aphids around can be a good idea is because the plants do not fall prey to more harmful pests. While aphids do harm the plants, they never kill the host plants. There can be other pests that are more dangerous, and having aphids will keep them away. 

It is always best not to completely kill all the aphid population in your garden while it may seem like a good idea. You must learn to control the population rather than use chemicals to kill them and not benefit from any other insects.

By maintaining a good balance of pests and beneficial insects, your garden will thrive and be safe from pest outbreaks. Ultimately, gardening organically is about ensuring there is a natural balance in the garden. By keeping some aphids around, you can encourage balance.

Summary 

Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that are commonly found in gardens among plants. If you have a green thumb, you will be familiar with aphids.

Whenever someone comes across aphids, their first reaction is to get completely rid of them. Aphids are bad for plants but not all of them. Some plants are more susceptible to aphid damage than others. However, if a plant is well-established, aphid attacks will cause it no harm.

On the other hand, if a plant is young, it will be more vulnerable to aphids. Aphids damage plants as they feed on them. When aphids suck and eat plants, they leave their saliva behind, causing the leaves to turn yellow and curl.

 Moreover, when aphids attack a plant, it suffers from stunted growth. However, having aphids can be beneficial for your garden as they attract many predators.

Some predators that aphids attract are beneficial for the garden as they feed on other garden pests. If you get rid of aphids completely, it will only lead to a heavier infestation later. However, this does not mean that you let the aphid population in your garden go overboard.

It is best to maintain diversity in your garden to avoid any heavy pest outbreaks.