-
Do you need help identifying a 🌶?
Is your plant suffering from an unknown issue? 🤧
Then ask in Identification and Diagnosis.
pests Aphids up close and personal
- Thread starter patrick
- Start date
larva looks bad ass
those are some of the craziest pictures I have ever seen. I almost was gonna ask what kind of Macro lense you got there but then read it was a microscope. They look beyond creepy.
They went to town on those little bastards! I had a hard time finding just 1 aphid on there now. They just picked that thing clean 
. No I'm not using a microscope if you were referring to me WOH, I'm using a Cannon Rebel XS with an 18-55 ml lens.
Yes ladybug larva look beyond creepy. You should've seen the aphids trying to run away when these little suckers came along! I can't believe how quickly they eat the aphids. It's really just a matter of seconds to devour one of them. Pretty cool.
It was pretty neat to see them in action. They were sitting around on the other plants, but when I transferred them to this one they just went nuts! If you look at the second picture I posted, you can actually see an aphid getting eaten.
. No I'm not using a microscope if you were referring to me WOH, I'm using a Cannon Rebel XS with an 18-55 ml lens.Yes ladybug larva look beyond creepy. You should've seen the aphids trying to run away when these little suckers came along! I can't believe how quickly they eat the aphids. It's really just a matter of seconds to devour one of them. Pretty cool.
It was pretty neat to see them in action. They were sitting around on the other plants, but when I transferred them to this one they just went nuts! If you look at the second picture I posted, you can actually see an aphid getting eaten.
Just noticed another little guy that appears to be starting the molting process. They appear to be dead and have their butt stuck to the leaf. I'm not sure how long the process takes because I only noticed the first guy today.
EDIT: Apparently it's not the molting stage. The orange/yellow guy is entering into the Pupa stage.
EDIT: Apparently it's not the molting stage. The orange/yellow guy is entering into the Pupa stage.
It was pretty cool! There was no mercy at all. They marched in and started in on the aphids. The aphids literally tried to run away. I wish I had the ladybugs earlier in the year when I really needed them. On the good side, they're here now and I get great pleasure watching them seek and destroy.
Very nice pics Blister. Your population of ladies seems to be doing great.
Patrick, did you know that aphids are born pregnant? Those things must be some record breeders and the main reason that they are so hard to control.
Patrick, did you know that aphids are born pregnant? Those things must be some record breeders and the main reason that they are so hard to control.
I had no idea that they were born pregnant. That would be a pretty good explanation for a quick population explosion. Especially if they all have 3 to 5 babies each.
I snapped a few more pics of the ladybug pupa today. It's starting to darken up and I would assume the shell is forming. I've also noticed a few others that are just at the beginning of the pupa stage. I take pride in providing nothing but the best food for them...
Ladybug Pupa
I also snapped a few pics I took of a larvae feasting on a few aphids. I found the aphids on a leaf from one of my serrano plants and plucked it. I put the larvae on it, got the camera ready then gave him or her a little poke in bum. It took a few steps and found the aphids. Mayhem ensued.
I feel like such a little kid with these things. I love putting them onto plants that have a bunch of aphids on them and watch them terrorize the aphids. It's literally provided me with hours and hours of enjoyment. I just sit there and watch them go to town.
I snapped a few more pics of the ladybug pupa today. It's starting to darken up and I would assume the shell is forming. I've also noticed a few others that are just at the beginning of the pupa stage. I take pride in providing nothing but the best food for them...
Ladybug Pupa
I also snapped a few pics I took of a larvae feasting on a few aphids. I found the aphids on a leaf from one of my serrano plants and plucked it. I put the larvae on it, got the camera ready then gave him or her a little poke in bum. It took a few steps and found the aphids. Mayhem ensued.
I feel like such a little kid with these things. I love putting them onto plants that have a bunch of aphids on them and watch them terrorize the aphids. It's literally provided me with hours and hours of enjoyment. I just sit there and watch them go to town.
I was not aware that they were born knocked up. I did some reading and can't find anything to confirm that SS, you have a reference?
I did know they are parthenogenic and do not need both sexes to reproduce. However in the fall the young produced by a female include both sexes and mating does take place. They can give live birth and produce eggs.
I did know they are parthenogenic and do not need both sexes to reproduce. However in the fall the young produced by a female include both sexes and mating does take place. They can give live birth and produce eggs.
"Some aphids have telescoping generations. That is, the parthenogenetic, viviparous female has a daughter within her, who is already parthenogenetically producing her own daughter. Thus a female's diet can affect the body size and birth rate of more than two generations (daughters and granddaughters)."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphid
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphid