Aphid attack

[SolarMan]

This little fir tree is hosting a party:

We have the whole Aphid "crew" - about 50 ants - and about 10 hornets.

My dog just chomped on one of those nasty hornets and I can tell by the way she spit it out that she got stung.

Hornet is dead and 25 migs of benadryl down her throat.

Next: Chemical Warfare.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

That's a pretty good pic. You got the hornet in it too

 

[smperry]

Poor doggy.




Nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

 

[fdeck]

Bayer "tree and shrub insect control" has worked for me. You dilute it and water it into the ground around the tree. It makes the tree toxic. YMMV of course. Your state extension service is also a good place to get advice.

 

[Tituscrow]

I'd just sit back and watch the glory of nature and its balances unfold before my very eyes.

Then I'd napalm it.

 

[Hobobob]

Aerosol flamethrower. Up close and personal. And you can get rid of your wife's obnoxious bathroom spray at the same time!

 

[smperry]

More serious response - I wonder if a ton of ladybugs from a garden shop would knock the aphids out...but there's a lot of them, and ladybugs wouldn't help with the hornets anyway. ugh.

 

[Thick McRunfast]

Some types of ants herd aphids and will protect them from threats like ladybugs.

 

[Phalex]

Some types of ants herd aphids and will protect them from threats like ladybugs.

They were doing this on my elderberry bushes last year. It was kinda interesting to watch.

 

[Bett]

Wash the aphids off with a garden hose and treat with insecticidal soap if need be.

 

[Jazz Ad]

A thick ring of glue around the trunk is enough to get rid of ants within a couple days.
This too is an interesting thing to watch.
Hornets are another story.

 

[Tituscrow]

What you need is a hive of Japanese honey bees. These badasses will sort out your hornets.

http://youtu.be/K6m40W1s0Wc

 

[SolarMan]

What you need is a hive of Japanese honey bees. These badasses will sort out your hornets.

http://youtu.be/K6m40W1s0Wc

That is amazing.

Update:


Party is over!

You can see a yellowjacket that showed up late on the scene.

 

[fdeck]

A thick ring of glue around the trunk is enough to get rid of ants within a couple days.
This too is an interesting thing to watch.
Hornets are another story.

But the ants aren't really the problem. The aphids are. If you see a lot of ants hustling up and down a tree, you've got aphids.

 

[Eric Perry]

What you need is a hive of Japanese honey bees. These badasses will sort out your hornets.

http://youtu.be/K6m40W1s0Wc

Yeow!

 

[fraublugher]

Are you sure those are aphids , never seen those and ive removed/killed tens of thousands ?

looks like some kind of beatle from here

 

[fraublugher]

Ladybugs eat spider mite and mealy bug , gardeners use them for infestations.

Aphids can just be hosed away with a lil soap mixed in.

 

[fraublugher]

Regular dish soap, all solutions are temporary.

 

[SolarMan]

Are you sure those are aphids , never seen those and ive removed/killed tens of thousands ?

looks like some kind of beatle from here

You know, they were rather large and darker in color than normal.

I Assumed Aphid because of the ants...but never seen aggressive hornets swarming.

Whatever they were, they must have had some mesmerizing insect stank and honey-dew to offer.

(I wonder if the hornets were going to fight the ants for control. In retrospect, I should have set up a video camera and let it run for a few hours.)

(Beatle...lol you freaking genius - going to listen to your soundcloud again. Right now.)

 

[Tituscrow]

Are you sure those are aphids , never seen those and ive removed/killed tens of thousands ?

looks like some kind of beatle from here

John, Paul, George or Ringo?