Aphids and Lice

TomatoDon · June 17, 2020

A tomato friend called me describing an insect problem that sounds like aphids and what some call lice. I think she thought they were the same thing, but I think it is two different insects. They are tiny bugs that look like lice in small clusters on the leaves and some that are about the same size but more of a brown color, I think on the underside of the leaves.

She asked what I would recommend and I said Safer's Soap. She has tried some standard garden insecticides with no results. I am guessing these critters are also on the underside of the leaves and she is not getting them all with the spray.

I haven't had experience with this specifically but I told her I would ask around. Does anyone here have any "natural remedies" that will help her? Sounds to me like it's more a matter of application than the actual product she is spraying.

I don't have pictures and am just going by what she told me, the best I remember. Any suggestions will be appreciated and forwarded to her.

Thanks in advance.
Don

brownrexx · June 18, 2020

If I have aphids I start by washing them off of the leaves with a hose. This usually works after a couple of applications but if it doesn't then I spray with Neem which I use in the evening since it does kill bees also.

KathyDC · June 18, 2020

They are likely some kind of aphid or mite. Aphids come in different colors, they can be green, brown or tan depending on the species in your area. They can also change colors as they go through their life cycles, as I understand it.

I typically release ladybugs in my garden to deal with aphids and mites and other soft-bodied predators like the ones you're describing. For various reasons this year that wasn't an option, so I've been spraying once a week with a soap spray. (1 Tbl pure castile soap added to 1 Gal water).

She does need to get under the leaves, though, as that's where most of them congregate. So make sure she is spraying underneath the leaves, too.

So far the diluted Castile soap is working. It dehydrates them and basically kills them on contact. Some people also use Dawn, but the purer the soap the better for the plant (it should not have a fragrance or a detergent agent if you can avoid it). As with other sprays make sure you spray early in the morning before it gets hot and sunny, or in the evening just before dusk.

Good luck!

Cole_Robbie · June 18, 2020

Depending on the size of the plants and the number to treat, you can make a foam in a bucket with a garden hose and soap, then massage the foam by hand around the plant. The foam makes it easier to get the leaf undersides. The foam kills bugs instantly, so i wash off the soap right after applying with a hose.

June 17, 2020	#1
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,521	Aphids and Lice A tomato friend called me describing an insect problem that sounds like aphids and what some call lice. I think she thought they were the same thing, but I think it is two different insects. They are tiny bugs that look like lice in small clusters on the leaves and some that are about the same size but more of a brown color, I think on the underside of the leaves. She asked what I would recommend and I said Safer's Soap. She has tried some standard garden insecticides with no results. I am guessing these critters are also on the underside of the leaves and she is not getting them all with the spray. I haven't had experience with this specifically but I told her I would ask around. Does anyone here have any "natural remedies" that will help her? Sounds to me like it's more a matter of application than the actual product she is spraying. I don't have pictures and am just going by what she told me, the best I remember. Any suggestions will be appreciated and forwarded to her. Thanks in advance. Don __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

June 18, 2020	#3
KathyDC Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Suburban Washington, DC (Zone 7A) Posts: 347	They are likely some kind of aphid or mite. Aphids come in different colors, they can be green, brown or tan depending on the species in your area. They can also change colors as they go through their life cycles, as I understand it. I typically release ladybugs in my garden to deal with aphids and mites and other soft-bodied predators like the ones you're describing. For various reasons this year that wasn't an option, so I've been spraying once a week with a soap spray. (1 Tbl pure castile soap added to 1 Gal water). She does need to get under the leaves, though, as that's where most of them congregate. So make sure she is spraying underneath the leaves, too. So far the diluted Castile soap is working. It dehydrates them and basically kills them on contact. Some people also use Dawn, but the purer the soap the better for the plant (it should not have a fragrance or a detergent agent if you can avoid it). As with other sprays make sure you spray early in the morning before it gets hot and sunny, or in the evening just before dusk. Good luck! Last edited by KathyDC; June 18, 2020 at 11:43 AM.

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June 18, 2020	#2
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	If I have aphids I start by washing them off of the leaves with a hose. This usually works after a couple of applications but if it doesn't then I spray with Neem which I use in the evening since it does kill bees also.

June 18, 2020	#4
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Depending on the size of the plants and the number to treat, you can make a foam in a bucket with a garden hose and soap, then massage the foam by hand around the plant. The foam makes it easier to get the leaf undersides. The foam kills bugs instantly, so i wash off the soap right after applying with a hose.