Green aphids, black aphids and even a mix of both... You thought you had already seen all types of aphids and then suddenly you realize: the oleander hasyellow onesLice? What now? Can you fight yellow lice on oleander in the same way as the usual ones or are the same remedies less effective here? Don't worry, with our help you'll get rid of the pests in no time!
Not only do they look very similar to common aphids, they are also completely normal aphids. In addition to the yellow body, the black legs are also quite noticeable and a good identifying feature. The reason you may not have noticed it on other plants is that it prefers oleander and other plants from the same family.
Accordingly, it is the sap of the plants that they feed on. As a result, they secrete sticky honeydew. So if you notice sticky leaves on your oleander, you are dealing with a louse infestation. If you look closely, you can find the louse on the more tender parts of the plant, i.e. the tips of the shoots or undersides of the leaves and also on the flower buds. If you don't take action against the infestation immediately, they damage the entire plant: the leaves change color and curl up and the flowers and new shoot tips become deformed.
The louse doesn't just damage the plant by feeding on the plant sap. The sweet excretions not only attract beneficial insects, which could even help you fight them, but also pathogens. That's why you should act as quickly as possible. But there are a few differences to the other known lice.
Fight yellow lice on oleander – use natural remedies
Rinse, beneficial insects and manure are the usual remedies that are used to treat aphid infestations and are usually successful. However, if you have yellow lice on the oleander, there are a few differences and not everything looks the same as usual.
Are beneficial insects effective against this aphid?
Of course, under other circumstances the yellow aphids would also be real treats for ladybirds, parasitic wasps and the like. However, they have developed two useful protective mechanisms, one of which they get from the oleander bush itself. The plant contains a toxin, the so-called cardiac glycoside oleandrin (also toxic to humans), which yellow lice on oleander absorb through the plant sap and thus pass on to the beneficial insects. The yellow color of the aphids also has a protective effect because it deters insects.
If there is a light infestation, remove by hand
As long as the infestation is not yet severe, you can easily crush the lame lice, but be sure to wear rubber gloves due to the toxin already mentioned. If you don't have gloves at hand, you can also use a cloth or an ear swab. It's best to moisten both beforehand. Then carry out regular checks to remove any additional lice. It is also recommended to use one of the home remedies mentioned below.
Remove yellow lice on oleander with water
To be more precise, it is the rather powerful jet of the water hose that will help you here. The lice do not have enough strength to hold on to the plant too tightly and you can use this weakness to your advantage. You can simply rinse the pests away with the water jet. However, make sure that you do not point it at other plants so as not to catapult the pests onto the next one. You can also try collecting them in a bucket to then dispose of them. It is also advisable to lay out foil for this purpose.
Another practical thing about this method is that you remove honeydew from the plant at the same time.
The good old dishwashing liquid also works on the yellow louse
You will be pleased to know that this simple home remedy, which can be found in every home, also works on these aphids. If you want to fight aphids on oleander with dishwashing liquid, prepare a solution and then spray the plant with it, concentrating particularly on the affected areas. To do this, simply mix a liter of water with a teaspoon of dish soap.
Alternatively, curd soap and soft soap are also suitable, but in this case you must protect the roots of the oleander by first spreading out a film so that the solution cannot get to the roots. As a precaution, you can do this even if you use dishwashing liquid. No matter which of these products you choose, you must spray the bush again in the next three days so that it can have an effect.
Fight lice on oleander with rapeseed oil
Rapeseed oil is also extremely effective in the fight against aphids and, fortunately, the yellow one is no exception. This remedy is even more recommended than the soap method above. There are even commercial pest control products based on rapeseed oil. If you want to combat yellow lice on your oleander, simply mix 300 milliliters of the oil with a liter of water and use the whole thing as a spray.
Other suitable means are:Nettle broth and manure.
A mixture of milk and water also works well. How to make it, you canread here.
