How do I prevent aphids in my apple tree?

The woolly aphid is a small insect whose body is coated with a whitish wax. This can invade various plant species such as lettuces, apple trees and poplars.

Characteristics of apple aphids

The woolly apple aphid can be found in two forms. If it does not have wings, it is characterized by a brown appearance and a body covered in wax. When winged, its appearance is brownish-brown. The plants it attacks are mainly the apple tree, but also the hawthorn.

Aphid colonization can take place on several parts of the tree, namely the roots and branches. This can also intervene on the collar, the point where the roots join the trunk. Bites in this area are likely to cause galls. Under these conditions, the circulation of sap tends to be strongly disrupted, thus generating the occurrence of necrosis and fungi.

Preventive methods against apple aphid

Knowing that an invasion of aphids has the effect of reducing apple production, it is important to find effective solutions to eliminate them.

As a preventative method, one solution may consist of avoiding susceptible varieties. You should therefore rather favor resistant species of apple trees, such as rootstocks. Furthermore, it is advisable not to use nitrogen-based fertilizers, but to preferably choose an organic fertilizer. You must also observe your apple trees regularly, in order to detect the presence of aphids as early as possible. This then manifests itself as whitish deposits.

Another solution is to place traps at the trunk of the apple tree, such as a strip of glue, at the beginning of spring. This aims to prevent ants to mount aphids, and thus avoid an invasion. In fact, ants install aphids on trees in specific locations, where they can feed on the sap and proliferate. This is an exchange, since the ants also benefit from the sweet honeydew excreted by these insects.

Elimination methods

In the event of an infestation that has already occurred, there are treatment solutions. During the winter, you can spray apple trees with white oils. Thanks to this process, it is possible to eradicate most aphid eggs and larvae.

It is also possible to use a preparation of black soap to kill aphids as soon as they begin to appear. Furthermore, the lacewing and the ladybug are the great enemies of aphids, and will therefore constitute formidable allies in your fight against them. You can attract them to your garden by growing certain plants like perennials and wormwood.