Discussions

Who else has had more than enough of the aphid shiz all other everything in Brandon? The sticky stinky smelly mess is gross!

In some parts of town, people may be looking for clouds after feeling drops fall from trees, or they may be washing their vehicles more often to remove a sticky coating.  
 
At first, they may believe the trees are dripping sap, but the cause is something on the trees – and the drops are known as honeydew.  
 
The sticky substance is the excrement of aphids and other homopterous insects, such as cicadas, leafhoppers, and some butterflies and moths. After insects suck fluids out of the tree leaves, they then excrete the honeydew.  
 
Nice to know it washes off OK. Thanks Wiki

I’ve had enough. It is so disgusting. Stuff sticks to the bottom of my shoes, my car is covered in a thick layer all over. You can’t even see our my back window and I’ve had to wash my car constantly. Are these Aphids going to be like every summer now? Are there any natural ways to get rid of them? Ick!!!

is there a certain type of tree aphids secrete on? looks like not all trees get that sticky stuff...I have a tree with branches that hang over my deck, and that crap keeps dripping on it....now that it is the end of july, it doesn't seem as bad...

I think they really like elms more than anything. I'm in Riverheights and walk daily and haven't noticed it (and it's mostly ash in this area), but in parts of town where it's older and it's all elms it's very noticeable. Even the grass is sticky!  
 
The lack of rain contributes, as regular rain will rinse a lot away. My brother in Winnipeg says its very bad there, they've had a fraction of the rain there and his neighbourhood has big elms.

Ladybugs eat aphids, I ordered 1,000 from Costco online a couple years ago to deal with my aphid problem.

You can order lady bugs from Costco?!?!?! Really??? Our block is so bad I’m almost ready to try this

Ladybugs are not available this year! you can order then directly to your door from the multiple sources online on a typical year but you wont be able to source them this year. Hopefully next year they are available again! I ordered a bunch of Preying Mantis and they hatched last week, I hope those clear out my trees of aphids

I will pray that your Mantis comes to our place after cleaning up your Aphids.

Where did you order the praying mantis from?

So sick of this already. 2 months of this crap, literally.  
It has broken one of my windshield wipers already. They were stuck on and went to use the wipers and they were glued on there.  
Absolutely disgusting.