What's this bug on Dahlias and Chillies ?

Discussion in 'Identification Area' started by JWK, Jun 20, 2023.

  1. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    I noticed my Dahlias (in pots outside) being nibbled a few days ago.

    I found some brown specks that look like a tiny mite under the leaves. They came off when sprayed with a powerful jet of water and the dahlias appear to be recovering.

    However they have found their way into the greenhouse and a few are getting on to the Chillies. I struggle to get a clear photo, this is the best I can do, any ideas what it is and how to get rid. I can't blast them off with water as Chillies are too delicate (the water made a mess of my dahlias). Underside of chilli:
    20230619_120313.jpg


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    20230619_120313 (2).jpg
     
  2. NigelJ

    NigelJ Total Gardener

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    Looks like an aphid to me, possibly peach potato aphid.
     
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    • JWK

      JWK Gardener Staff Member

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      Could well be thanks @NigelJ there is a sticky residue on a few leaves. I sprayed one chilli with neem oil yesterday as a test, to see if it kills them without damage. I forgot to add soap to the spray so I'll give that a try on its own today.
       
    • pete

      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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      I'd be more concerned about the white fly?
       
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      • JWK

        JWK Gardener Staff Member

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        I'm not sure what those white things are, under a magnifying glass they look like eggs, could they be whitefly eggs? I haven't noticed any flying whitefly.
         
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        • Spruce

          Spruce Glad to be back .....

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          it could be a parasitised aphid ?
           
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          • Spruce

            Spruce Glad to be back .....

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            just had a look

            Aphid parasitoids are minute wasps that lay their eggs into the bodies of live aphids, eventually killing them. The immature parasitoids develop within the aphid body before emerging as adults. In crops, the activity of aphid parasitoids is seen as aphid 'mummies', which look like swollen, bronze-brown coloured aphids.
            upload_2023-6-20_12-15-38.jpeg upload_2023-6-20_12-15-47.jpeg
             
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            • JWK

              JWK Gardener Staff Member

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              Wasps to the rescue!
               
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