Insect pests (like aphids) are always frustrating to find on your plants. I've dealt with aphids many times before but I still never like to find them again. Inevitably I do. Aphids are one of the most common insect pests in every garden. If you garden you will eventually find them on one of your plants. I've had them on plants like
spirea,
hostas, asclepias (butterfly weed), and now my
ornamental peppers!
The solution is simple and non-toxic which is great if you have children or pets around. Soapy water! We have a spray bottle that we keep in the kitchen for cleaning up with a little bit of dish soap and a lotta bit of water. I just take the bottle and spray my plant away making sure to cover each leaf thoroughly top and underside. But the aphids will come back! In a few days the aphids will return (not the same ones - the offspring) and I spray again. Aphids have this crazy characteristic of producing live young without mating which means the eggs are already about to hatch inside the stem mother so their return is pretty much assured.
Also this spring when you start to see ants mysteriously exploring your plants check closely because they may be
stealthily transporting aphids to your plants!
If you don't have a spray bottle you can take a soapy solution on a paper towel and wipe out those aphids. This may in fact be more effective since you would be removing the dead bodies of the aphids and the baby aphids would not be able to return to that plant.
Have you checked your houseplants lately?
