Q.I Have Hot Pepper Plants And They’ve Developed A White Powdery (insect?) Residue On The Underside Of The Leaves And The Plants Ar
e suffering. How do I rid the plants of that pest? I germinated the seeds and have meticulously overseen their growth, delighted when they started producing sweet/hot peppers about 2 inches in size. Suddenly the plants started wilting and upon inspection I noticed some sort of growths on the underside of the leaves and using my fingers to remove the white powdery substance I find what seem to be little black eggs underneath. I’ve tried diluted dishwashing soap and even hydrogen peroxide but the residue returns at a rapid pace. I’m a Texan in Venezuela and was finally enjoying some delicious Texas style hot peppers but now I am sad that they are under siege. What can I use to cleanse and then prevent future attacks?
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
These are woolly aphids, and rarely cause much harm. Usually, you would control these with a predatory species, like lacewings, parasitic wasps, or hoverflies. You can also use things like Neem oil or your choice of insecticidal soaps. Here is an article for further information:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/woolly-aphid-control.htm
