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Apple trees, aphids and bumble bees....

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  • #1

    Apple trees, aphids and bumble bees....

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    Am I the only person who finds bumble bees visiting aphid colonies to feed on the aphids' sweet excretions?

    If I'm not, then perhaps we need to be even more careful when spraying insecticides because spraying the aphids could end up with bumblebees (and perhaps other bees) being exposed to insecticides.
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  • #2
    Never heard of that before! Haven't seen any aphids so far this year.
    Tour of my back garden mini-orchard.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by StephenH View Post
      Never heard of that before! Haven't seen any aphids so far this year.
      The aphid attack is very heavy this year. Most of my apple trees' new shoots are bristling with aphids - many thousands per tree. Some leaves are so badly twisted that the trees are yellowing them and preparing to drop the badly-damaged leaves.
      Poor old Court Pendu Plat didn't even get the buds fully open before every bud was smothered with aphids. None of its new shoots will grow straight this year due to aphid distortion! If the CPP was on a dwarf rootstock it'd probably be ruined; fortunately it's M25.
      .

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      • #4
        Never heard of it. I never spray, over here the maggots of the hoverflies feast on these aphids.
        Last edited by sugar; 18-06-2013, 06:13 PM.

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        • #5
          I wonder if this is the same problem I'm having on my TLO as I'm also in Cambridge - I've just posted a picture on the "Growing fruit trees in Cambridgeshire soil" thread.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by sugar View Post
            Never heard of it. I never spray, over here the maggots of the hoverflies feast on these aphids.
            Yes, hoverfly maggots and ladybird larvae will eat them, but early in the season there are lots of aphids but not many predators.
            .

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            • #7
              Originally posted by BeatTheSeasons View Post
              I wonder if this is the same problem I'm having on my TLO as I'm also in Cambridge - I've just posted a picture on the "Growing fruit trees in Cambridgeshire soil" thread.
              Yes, your problem is aphids - I replied on the other topic.
              .

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              • #8
                I'm noticing a hell of a lot of aphids on the growing tips of all my apple trees, and blueberries, strawberries and blackcurrants. I try to squish them whenever I see them, but the pesky ants keep bringing them back grrrr.

                I've only seen 1 ladybird this season, down at the allotment a black harlequin type. I wish they'd hurry up and get my infestation under control

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by FB. View Post
                  Yes, hoverfly maggots and ladybird larvae will eat them, but early in the season there are lots of aphids but not many predators.
                  I don't use any insecticides. The ladybird & hoverfly maggot deal with it every time. I have some curled leaves, but that's no problem.
                  What I notice that both for the apple trees, raspberries and blackberries some species suffer more from aphids. But in the end, they all manage to overcome them

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by FB. View Post
                    The aphid attack is very heavy this year. Most of my apple trees' new shoots are bristling with aphids - many thousands per tree. Some leaves are so badly twisted that the trees are yellowing them and preparing to drop the badly-damaged leaves.
                    Poor old Court Pendu Plat didn't even get the buds fully open before every bud was smothered with aphids. None of its new shoots will grow straight this year due to aphid distortion! If the CPP was on a dwarf rootstock it'd probably be ruined; fortunately it's M25.
                    You maust have got mine as well as your own - there's nary a sign of 'em on mine. Sorry about that!
                    Tour of my back garden mini-orchard.

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                    • #11
                      Having read this, I looked at my trees. No sign of aphids but lots of young birds being fed in them - blue, great and longtailed tits.
                      I did find one very curled up leaf - inside it was a small black caterpillar. That tree had a number of twisted leaves but I couldn't see anything else living on them.

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                      • #12
                        Loads of aphids in my garden, but as VC says I've seen so many small birds on my trees/in my roses eating them.

                        Whenever I pass I squash the aphids, but other than that haven't noticed any problems with my lot.

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                        • #13
                          Spotted my first aphids this morning, on the 'Brownlees' Russet', and ants, which were obviously farming them: only a few of each at the moment, so I took no action beyond crushing the ones I could see, but will keep a close eye on things. I'll hang up some fat balls and such-like to encourage birds, for starters.
                          Tour of my back garden mini-orchard.

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                          • #14
                            aphids and bumble bees

                            we have been watching bumble bees visiting our cherry trees for the last 3 years, last year did send a note to bbc's autumm watch but had no reply.
                            It did seem to us they were definately after the blackfly honeydew, it does seem to to be only bumble bees haven't spotted any honeybees. so spraying in this garden.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by gaynice napier View Post
                              we have been watching bumble bees visiting our cherry trees for the last 3 years, last year did send a note to bbc's autumm watch but had no reply.
                              It did seem to us they were definately after the blackfly honeydew, it does seem to to be only bumble bees haven't spotted any honeybees. so spraying in this garden.


                              Does this mean that because there are no Honey Bees involved you will be spraying?
                              Feed the soil, not the plants.
                              (helps if you have cluckies)

                              Man v Squirrels, pigeons & Ants
                              Bob

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