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pests Aphids?!

nee

nee

This is a real daft question, as it's not like anyones going to be able to describe one for me....but i just wondered....

are aphids REALLY small? (or can they be?)

The reason i ask is that i've been seeing these tiny flying things around my plants, even though this is an over winter indoor grow. Im thinking maybe they came in via the potting mix which is stored outside?
What type of damage do they cause, as i've been struggling with curling / yellowing leaves, even since growing more seeds and only watering lightly (20ml every 4 or 5 days)
Does this sound like something aphids cause?

Like i say, these things are soooooo small, but as i don't really know what an aphid is i thought i'd ask!

Thanks
 
POTAWIE said:
You won't see aphids flying, although they can at times grow wings. Maybe whitefly or fungus gnats?
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Ahh! See, i told you it was a daft question!! OK, i realise one small dark flying thing can look like the next, but after looking at both you mentioned on google, they do look a lot like those fungus gnats.
Are they bad for hot peppers? As in, would they cause the plant enough distress to curl etc?
Its not like theres oodles of them, but whenever i check on the plants theres always 2 or 3 floating in the vicinity..
Thanks
 
fungus gnats!!! my understanding is that the adults are just annoying not damaging but the larvae can be damaging, use yellow sticky tape for the adults and mosquito dunks to kill the larvae
 
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Strict bottom watering can help control the maggots, the gnats and maggots like moist(wet) soil, +1 on the yellow sticky hanging it below a light(leave the light on a couple hour at night) helps.
 
Prehensile said:
Strict bottom watering can help control the maggots, the gnats and maggots like moist(wet) soil, +1 on the yellow sticky hanging it below a light(leave the light on a couple hour at night) helps.
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Thanks for the tips...although i'm through with bottom watering though, can't seem to get it right.
Will try the yellow stuff!
 
I put a post on some great ways to "get rid" of them on another tread. The one thing I have noticed to be woking good is watering with 3 parts water to 1 part Hydrogen Peroxide. I have almost totally eliminated them as their numbers have gone down drastically. I spray the surface of the soil with neem oil to get rid of the adults. The peroxide mixture kills the larvae right away and gives the plant an oxygen boost. I had looked in the soil and started noticing these white, thin pieces of rice noodle looking things in the soil, and it was them, the dead larvae. They are some gross looking things too, and by the amout of them, the plant must have been pretty badly infested, but yeah it worked. Also a cup of water by the plants does good as the adults fly in and drown.
Other pest indicators:
Aphids: Yellow spots on leaves. Black spots on leaves (black sooty mold). Over abundace of ants.
White Flies: White powdery substance on the tops of leaves (the under side of the leaves above will likely have white flies and larvae.
I hate these pests with a passion, let me tell ya!
 
ridavid said:
I'm just wondering,what kind of damage can pest bugs do to plants?
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Depends on the bugs! Most of them are capable of destroying plants if their numbers are great enough! Mites, aphids, white flies, and thrips are the major ones that I know of, slugs and catapillars are bad too!
 
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