orange aphids on flowering plant

Question

I have potted plants that we have brought in for the winter. Two (the same type – flowering, climbing) have little orange bugs.  I have researched and, though they look like hoppers, everything points to aphids. They have not touched any of the other plants (lemon tree, etc.) and the plants that they are on are flourishing! My husband bought some natural insecticide to get rid of them, but it didn’t work.

We thought they left on their own prior to spraying, as there were only a few, but they have returned. It has been a couple weeks. But, honestly, the plants (living in our neighbor’s house for the winter – temp kept at 55 degrees, watered every 1 1/2 weeks) are now blooming and growing and look extremely healthy! I wouldn’t even bother with the bugs (they almost look like little butterflies), but they have taken up residence, as I said, in my neighbor’s house. It is too cold where we live to take the plant outdoors and hose it down (NY) . We are snowbound in the middle of winter. I don’t know what to do at this point! Help!! Not sure if they are aphids … just don’t know!

Answer 1

If you have access to a shower, you can place the plant in the shower to help wash the pests off.

I would recommend trying the pesticide again. You will likely need to treat the plant every few weeks. When you treat the plant, you are killing off the aphids, but not the eggs. So, a few treatments are necessary to get all of the pests as they come out.