Topic: woolly aphids

[Froglegs]

??? Hi all, can any body tell me how to get rid of woolly aphids on a variegated pyracantha growing up the side of my house, spayed them with a green/blackfly killer with a bit of washing up soap,thought i had got rid ,but they seem to have over the last 4 weeks come back with a few more mates,now the whole bush looks like it as  a infestation of scruffy cotton buds.

[laurieuk]

Very few ordinary sprays have much effect on wholy aphid as the "cotton wool" protects the grub. Depending on how much you have one certain way of getting rid is a paint brush and some metholated spirit which dissolves the cotton and kills the grub.We used to use this a lot on Nerine bulbs grown inside.

[Froglegs]

The only trouble is it as grown about 15ft high(in old money)and 8ft across and full a thorns, but as soon as this wind drops will have ago.


P.S. where do you get methylated spirit from. :-[

[laurieuk]

I have not bought any for some time but I have usually found it in general stores that do paint etc.