These winged pests hide on the bottom side of the leaves. Aphids give live birth at the rate of up to twelve offspring per day. Aphids suck the leaves dry of nutrients causing them to turn yellow and wilt. They can transmit viruses from plant to plant resulting in stunted growth and the delay of flower production. Some species are capable of injecting toxins into plants, resulting in crop reduction. Aphids are most active when temperatures drop to 60 – 80 degrees. In this respect, they seem to take the place of spider mites, weather permitting!
As aphids feed on the cannabis plant, they excrete a sweet substance referred to as ‘honeydew’. The honeydew may first appear as sooty mold. Ants are attracted to the poop of an aphid, thereby creating an additional pest problem.
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Mother Nature seems to come to the rescue when the aphid population gets out of control. When aphids are present in abundance, parasitic wasps come to the rescue. They lay their eggs inside aphids, rendering them ‘parasitized’. Once they have been altered by becoming an incubator for wasp eggs, they begin to form a thin, crusty ‘mummy’ shell. Once this metamorphosis begins the aphid declines and is no longer a threat. Lady bugs are also a natural predator of aphids. If you see ladybugs in your garden, you know aphids are present. The sudden appearance of ladybugs is assurance the situation is coming under control.