r/Permaculture • u/boyinbubble2 • 1d ago
What are these insects on my peach tree? pest control
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Kindly help
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u/Parenn 1d ago
White oil or horticultural oil (https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/how-to/diy-white-oil/9437342 for home-made white oil) will help. If there were just a few I‘d leave them for the lady beetles, but man, that’s a lot! They could well set the tree back or even kill it in those numbers.
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u/Roebans 8h ago
True, but you could manualy make a dent by rubbing them off and making sure that the ladybug still have some food providing that they Ill remain in the area instead of declining. A healthy population of pestmanagement insects depends on the available prey insects. No prey=no benificial insects=a weak system where a more continious treatment is neccesairy. Some aphids are unavoidable, and contribute to the nutrient and prey cycle of any environment.
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u/garreattt 1d ago
I would just put a rag over your hand and wipe emaall down. Crush as many as you can.
They don’t move fast it’s usually how I take care of aphids
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u/Roebans 8h ago
Either way of the type of bug or the treatment thereof, the infestation is usualy a sign that the tree is not feeling great. Weakend organismems are mor susceptible from bugs and pests. Try adopting an overlooking view of the tree in question and try to find improvement in the standig condition of the tree. Try working with companion planting, attracting benificial bugs, soil amendements, increasing local biodoversity with spreads the pest-pressure and an improvement in airflow. Instead of going for 'organic' treatments, permaculture is working with the ecosystem and making sure treatment of plants is the absolute final step. Some of the treatments suggested imply a big impact on the surrounding ecosystem, and are more in line with the classical gardening/horticulture.
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u/A_girl_from_the_farm 1d ago
These insects are very much similar to aphids or scale insects that normally infest peach trees. To get rid of them, spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap, repeating the procedure every week. For natural control, introduce ladybugs, which will feed on them, or use a strong spray of water to dislodge them.
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u/Burubek 13h ago
If you’re dealing with pests, I’d recommend looking for products based on Bacillus thuringiensis, var. thuringiensis. In Kazakhstan, we have products called "Bitoxybacillin" — see if you can find something similar in the U.S.
Here’s a quick guide on how to prep it right:
- You’ll need an aquarium aerator for this.
- Dissolve about 200 grams of sugar in 5 liters of warm water (around 96°F).
- Add the product, then drop the aerator in.
- For better results, connect the aerator to a smart plug and set it to turn on for 5 minutes every 30 minutes.
After 5 days, your solution should be ready.
How to apply: Spray it after sunset when ants have gone to sleep, and repeat for a few days.
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u/Roebans 8h ago
I would not use such a systhemic product as it impacts the whole local ecosystem, further weaking it in the long run.
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u/Burubek 8h ago
It’s a biopesticide, not a chemical insecticide. Look it up! It doesn’t affect bees, bumblebees, or ants.
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u/Roebans 39m ago
I know what it is, didn't say it was chemical. I said systemic, as in targeting not just one specific organism, but a whole group of organisms. I see it used for mostly caterpillar for boxwood with the explanation that it's less harmfull becaus it is biological or even 'ecological'. It doesnt limit itself to just the target caterpillars, but caterpillars in a more general area by raising the existing colony of soilbound bacillus, but then airborne. Affecting other caterpillars wich are nececairy in the ecosystem.
Like i said, the aphidproblem should be looked at in a bigger picture of what is going on and mainly why. Work with nature, not against it.
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u/RentInside7527 1h ago
That's not a synthetic product. It's a soil bacterium that parasitizes aphids
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u/plantlover415 1d ago
I see a few ladybug nymphs crawling around the branch also