The life cycle of aphids is wondrous-strange and curious

The Norman Transcript

April 18, 2008 12:24 am

— Are you anxious for the cold nights to end? Last week I had big plans for accomplishing dozens of gardening projects. A couple of days the winds were so horrendous and drying that it drove me inside after just a short time, ditto for Saturday with the un-raked leaves piling up at the north end of the garden one day just to pile up at the south fence the next.
Even without a human imposing order upon the garden plot, Mother Nature is filling in beautifully with greenery and blossoms galore, especially lacy larkspur shooting up bloom spurs. I even saw some lamb's quarter almost harvesting size. The turnips and the gorgeous crinkly leaves of Russian Red Kale had to be pulled because of the despised Japanese beetles and an aphid infection that were turning the leaves to parchment beginning at the top and working down.
Also the aphids are finding the 10-inch-tall tomatoes, pepper and eggplant transplants that I carry inside nightly to harden off. I'm hoping to put them in the garden this weekend, weather permitting.
The life cycle of aphids is wondrous-strange and curious. In cold climates the first female aphids have wings. Males and females are born alive in early spring at which time eggs are fertilized in the usual way. After that only females are born until stress, i.e. a very dry summer or the onset of winter when plants on which they colonize die. Then winged females may be produced.
In warm climates no males or winged females are needed, thus all aphids are born alive year round -- asexually in a process known as parthenogenesis. This is a very efficient system of reproduction: wingless adults can produce 50-to-100 offspring per day for up to 30 days. They spend their life with their rear ends pointing up, the straw-like proboscis piercing stems and juices of the host plant while birthing as sort of an afterthought, so to speak.
Because populations of insects can build so quickly, it is imperative that you check you plants daily for infestations and take an appropriately bio-safe approach to keeping their numbers within a safe margin. You can never be rid of aphids for good. These clumsy looking fat bugs when in the winged stage often fly in from hundreds and hundreds of miles away, taking advantage of the lift from the lower jet streams. There are many varieties of aphids, one for just about every garden plant and weed on this green Earth.
A while back I read an article stating that placing aluminum foil on the ground underneath the tomato or pepper plants can deter aphids from landing on them to give birth to her multitudes of flightless daughters that remain active during spring, summer, fall and also usually over winter here as my turnip aphids did this past winter.
On Monday, after inspecting the pepper and tomato transplants for aphids, I placed them on a generous sheet of aluminum foil on the concrete floor of my atrium which is closed on all sides but open to the sky above, to test that aphid-repelling theory. Each pot was placed on the foil leaving plenty of shiny space between and around pots of peppers and tomatoes to act as a mirror to the sky.
The theory is that the aphids, seeing light from above and below the containers, become confused about where to land since their special orientation is taken from the sky. Well, I'll let you know how that turns out in a week or two.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Lake Thunderbird State Park Naturalist, Kathy Furneaux wrote to me that the nature center is planning a Bird Migration Day event out at the (new) nature center on Saturday, May 10. " ? The event is planned for all day including a bird walk, 1 or 2 informational presentations of interest to adults and older children and 2 or 3 programs for younger children. The main theme is bird migration, possibly other topics relating to local birds as well. If you are knowledgeable about birds or related subjects and would like to take part in the activities please call her at 321-4633 or visit the Nature Center at Lake Thunderbird State Park, 1201 Clear Bay Ave.
Saturday vendors at the Farm Market are planning an Opening Celebration with fun for all plus drawings and prizes to shoppers. You must be present to win. You will have an opportunity to purchase tomato, pepper, herbs, ornamental plants and more; local honey, home produced eggs, etc., quality children's books, crafts, jewelry and much more. Also, George Richtmeyer' glass enclosed honey hive with bees building wax compartments in which to store honey. There will be opportunities for learning about the life cycle of bees.
Betty Culpepper may be reached at bculpepper3@cox.net for comments, questions or ideas for future columns.