Aphids are tiny sap sucking insects usually about one to two millimetres long that appear when the weather warms. Colonies can build up very quickly. They eat developing shoots and flower buds by piercing the plant's surface and sucking out the plant's juices, which can result in deformed buds, flower loss and even defoliation of the plant. They do not just affect roses. Peach trees and hibiscus are tasty treats for aphids too.
There are chemical-free ways of dealing with aphids. The first strategy of aphid control is the most environmentally friendly, and that's to let nature do the work for you. Shortly after the aphids appear, watch for the appearance of the aphid’s natural predators. The best-known of these is the ladybird. And the ladybird larvae, which look a bit like a crocodile and eat more aphids than the ladybirds themselves.
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