Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Monday - July 23, 2012
From: Brea, CA
Region: California
Topic: Pests, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Getting rid of Aphids on Asclepias plants in Brea, CA.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
I grow asclepsias or MILKWEED for the benefit of Monarchs. At times I have aphids consuming the leaves. How can I destroy the aphids without harming the Monarch eggs? Thank you very much.ANSWER:
We get numerous inquiries about aphids on various kinds of plants, and I wonder if there is something useful people could do with all of those aphids. Mr. Smarty Plants is thinking that one possibility is to feed them to Lady Bugs.
This answer to a previous question explores that possibility along with others for controlling these pests.
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