Good to see you! I have a very huge milk week plant (10 stalks, 4 - 5 feet tall) that the aphids just totally, completely, destroy my plant. The last two years got so bad I had to chop it down. I checked for any eggs and hatchlings though. It takes me an hour to hose it down and I don't always have that kind of time. I cant even use it for food for the ones I'm raising. I'm so discouraged and frustrated. I have a few swamp milk weed plants that do very well at least. I have a few eggs and a few small hatchlings now. Have a good summer!
They are indeed a constant battle. I've only managed what I have with daily thumb rubbings... But, I do find, compared to prior to trying it out last year, the cinnamon does help deter/reduce the ants, which has helped. I hope others, when they try this, find similar results. 🤞
@@MrLundScience I was told that marigolds my help deture aphids, it doesn't work. I will try cinnamon. I've noticed that the monarchs haven't been laying their egges on it this year because of the sticky stuff the aphids produce.
I hope this method can help out. I used it last year (preliminary testing for this year) and found it effective with my situation for about 2-3 days. Way less ants. But totally serious about the rain part. After it rains, it's like it's not even there and the ants come back much faster. This, along with daily finger squishing has kept my plants relatively healthy. (It was the groundhog that munched a stalk early on that caused the real damage.) Good luck with your season! 😃🦋👍
You can get a big bag of cinnamon at a middle eastern or indian grocery store! Also, my chickens have been doing the ant eating work in my milkweed garden.
I have a field of milk weed. Also, my Rose of Sharon was black with aphids this spring. I poured Dawn dish soap down the water hose. Turned on water and sprayed the tree . Worked great. No aphids
I live in Chula Vista, CA area 10B, My milkweed garden, three 4x8 planter boxes filled with various species of MW is FILLED with ants and aphids. It's driving me nuts, I see now that the ants actually eat the eggs and tiny caterpillars. I will be trying the cinnamon out after doing a thorough cleanse of the plants by hand. On one planter box I setup a ladybug house I found at Home Depot and bought a bunch of ladybugs but they aren't doing that well of a job.
I've encountered ladybugs on many milkweed plants out in the field when searching for eggs or collecting leaves, and when I find them, usually, they are amidst either some or many many many uneaten aphids. They might be aphid predators, but I think it takes a whole lot of them to make it efficient (and I'm 100% guessing/speculating with that statement...I admit, I'm not sure on this one). Further, the ladybugs that stick around, well, they'll eat a Monarch egg or small enough caterpillar same as an ant would, so that issue still exists. I fully sympathize, and wish you luck with your end of the aphid battle!
Missed seeing you! Nice to see new video. Hey, what do you think of balloon milkweed? It's a monster, very unusual, and since it's not native, I cut it down in late fall
I have a bad Aphid problem, i do squish them whenever I see them, it just seems like a never ending battle. Not sure if you have them but i have seen a tone of black Bean Aphids as well. Thanks for the video, and I’ll try the cinnamon out.
Hey Alex! I do indeed have some aphids on my plants, but nothing out of hand. This is primarily due to two things: 1) I don't have a lot of milkweed to have to manage at this time and 2) I daily get up and check my milkweed, squishing any aphids I come upon. It's been a daily effort, and even with that, my milkweed still will have them on there by the end of the day. Still, the cinnamon has kept the ants mostly away (some still brave the cinnamon, but not many) and that helps too. In these early years at this new residence, I want to make sure the milkweed gets very well established. Good luck to you, sir!
@@MrLundScience Thank you Mr. Lund, i have about 18 plants so it’s kinda easy to maintain the Aphids, but it’s still tedious. I do have some bad news my caterpillar passed away because of my negligence, and rookie mistake not replacing dried out milkweed leaves as frequent as I should, really mad at myself right now.
Rich, what should we do if we have a leaf covered in yellow aphids? We barely have milkweed, so we can not spare or lose one leaf... any tips are appreciated.
Cinnamon would definitely be something that the caterpillars could detect, and likely a cinnamon covered milkweed leaf would not be as appetizing. This is why I only sprinkle it down near the base of the plant. Cinnamon on the leaves of the rest of the plant could deter Monarch adults from landing on the leaves to lay eggs.
Who knew? I know I learned that cinnamon can repel ants sometime in my Middle School years. That science teacher knew...I just don't remember which one!
Hi! Love the pest tips! Question... can you feed honeyvine milkweed, or any other non-technical plant closely related to the milkweed family to monarch caterpillars? I have a huge patch of honeyvine growing in my backyard and I was wondering if my monarch caterpillars would eat it.
Greetings! First and foremost, the best answer to give is that I'm not sure, as I haven't ever worked with Honeyvine. That said, it is in the milkweed family, and some brief internet research says that it can serve as a host plant for Monarch caterpillars, though it is a less preferred option for Monarchs. So, can someone? Yes. Should someone? Debatable. I'm never trying to tell someone what they must or should do. I can only say what I myself would do in the same situation, and someone can take from that what they will. If I were in your position, if I was in a pinch and needed those leaves as a food source for caterpillars, it would certainly be a great option, and being fresh leaves, a better option to have around than artificial milkweed, which I do keep on hand if needed. However, I'd also do what I can to not be relying on the Honeyvine, and try to only take in what Monarchs I could support with their preferred milkweed (which would depend upon someone's location...for me, that'd be the Common Milkweed). It's kind of the strategy of wanting to give them the best option available if I have the means. I'd rather rear 10 Monarchs off of high quality milkweed than 30 Monarchs off of less than the best. Does that makes sense? Much luck to your efforts!😃🦋👍
Good to see you! I have a very huge milk week plant (10 stalks, 4 - 5 feet tall) that the aphids just totally, completely, destroy my plant. The last two years got so bad I had to chop it down. I checked for any eggs and hatchlings though. It takes me an hour to hose it down and I don't always have that kind of time. I cant even use it for food for the ones I'm raising. I'm so discouraged and frustrated. I have a few swamp milk weed plants that do very well at least. I have a few eggs and a few small hatchlings now. Have a good summer!
They are indeed a constant battle. I've only managed what I have with daily thumb rubbings... But, I do find, compared to prior to trying it out last year, the cinnamon does help deter/reduce the ants, which has helped. I hope others, when they try this, find similar results. 🤞
@@MrLundScience I was told that marigolds my help deture aphids, it doesn't work. I will try cinnamon. I've noticed that the monarchs haven't been laying their egges on it this year because of the sticky stuff the aphids produce.
Oh, we have missed you terribly! Aphids were driving me crazy last two years! Just ordered cinnamon! Great idea! Thanks!
I hope this method can help out. I used it last year (preliminary testing for this year) and found it effective with my situation for about 2-3 days. Way less ants. But totally serious about the rain part. After it rains, it's like it's not even there and the ants come back much faster.
This, along with daily finger squishing has kept my plants relatively healthy. (It was the groundhog that munched a stalk early on that caused the real damage.)
Good luck with your season! 😃🦋👍
@@MrLundScienceYou are such a gift! I am out there putzing in the garden anyway, having a bottle of cinnamon in my back pocket is very grandma Ruth!
You can get a big bag of cinnamon at a middle eastern or indian grocery store! Also, my chickens have been doing the ant eating work in my milkweed garden.
Thanks for your new video😊
You're very welcome. I hope it is useful!
Rich thanks for the tip using cinnamon
I have a field of milk weed.
Also, my Rose of Sharon was black with aphids this spring.
I poured Dawn dish soap down the water hose. Turned on water and sprayed the tree . Worked great. No aphids
Looks like I'll be stocking up on cinnamon!
Cinnamon can be effective at helping, but keep in mind, the squishing of the aphids is still the best way to control them. I hope this helps!
I live in Chula Vista, CA area 10B, My milkweed garden, three 4x8 planter boxes filled with various species of MW is FILLED with ants and aphids. It's driving me nuts, I see now that the ants actually eat the eggs and tiny caterpillars. I will be trying the cinnamon out after doing a thorough cleanse of the plants by hand. On one planter box I setup a ladybug house I found at Home Depot and bought a bunch of ladybugs but they aren't doing that well of a job.
I've encountered ladybugs on many milkweed plants out in the field when searching for eggs or collecting leaves, and when I find them, usually, they are amidst either some or many many many uneaten aphids. They might be aphid predators, but I think it takes a whole lot of them to make it efficient (and I'm 100% guessing/speculating with that statement...I admit, I'm not sure on this one). Further, the ladybugs that stick around, well, they'll eat a Monarch egg or small enough caterpillar same as an ant would, so that issue still exists.
I fully sympathize, and wish you luck with your end of the aphid battle!
A lot of black aphids here in NE Ohio in the past couple years at least
Having not experienced both types, I wonder, black aphids or oleander, which one is more troublesome.
@@MrLundScience From my experience the black ones are much worse, and they devastate the tops and make the plant grow misshapen
Oleander blood is fluorescent under UV
I did not know this! Thank you for teaching me something! To the research & development phase I go!
Missed seeing you! Nice to see new video. Hey, what do you think of balloon milkweed? It's a monster, very unusual, and since it's not native, I cut it down in late fall
I have a bad Aphid problem, i do squish them whenever I see them, it just seems like a never ending battle. Not sure if you have them but i have seen a tone of black Bean Aphids as well. Thanks for the video, and I’ll try the cinnamon out.
Hey Alex! I do indeed have some aphids on my plants, but nothing out of hand. This is primarily due to two things: 1) I don't have a lot of milkweed to have to manage at this time and 2) I daily get up and check my milkweed, squishing any aphids I come upon.
It's been a daily effort, and even with that, my milkweed still will have them on there by the end of the day. Still, the cinnamon has kept the ants mostly away (some still brave the cinnamon, but not many) and that helps too. In these early years at this new residence, I want to make sure the milkweed gets very well established.
Good luck to you, sir!
@@MrLundScience Thank you Mr. Lund, i have about 18 plants so it’s kinda easy to maintain the Aphids, but it’s still tedious. I do have some bad news my caterpillar passed away because of my negligence, and rookie mistake not replacing dried out milkweed leaves as frequent as I should, really mad at myself right now.
Rich, what should we do if we have a leaf covered in yellow aphids?
We barely have milkweed, so we can not spare or lose one leaf... any tips are appreciated.
I’d be concerned that the cinnamon might harm the caterpillars as they’re moving around the bushes/stalks…?
Cinnamon would definitely be something that the caterpillars could detect, and likely a cinnamon covered milkweed leaf would not be as appetizing. This is why I only sprinkle it down near the base of the plant. Cinnamon on the leaves of the rest of the plant could deter Monarch adults from landing on the leaves to lay eggs.
Cinnamon. Who knew? Maybe it will also help with the tiny little light coloured flies that are plaguing my milkweed?
Who knew? I know I learned that cinnamon can repel ants sometime in my Middle School years. That science teacher knew...I just don't remember which one!
Hi! Love the pest tips! Question... can you feed honeyvine milkweed, or any other non-technical plant closely related to the milkweed family to monarch caterpillars? I have a huge patch of honeyvine growing in my backyard and I was wondering if my monarch caterpillars would eat it.
Greetings! First and foremost, the best answer to give is that I'm not sure, as I haven't ever worked with Honeyvine. That said, it is in the milkweed family, and some brief internet research says that it can serve as a host plant for Monarch caterpillars, though it is a less preferred option for Monarchs.
So, can someone? Yes. Should someone? Debatable.
I'm never trying to tell someone what they must or should do. I can only say what I myself would do in the same situation, and someone can take from that what they will. If I were in your position, if I was in a pinch and needed those leaves as a food source for caterpillars, it would certainly be a great option, and being fresh leaves, a better option to have around than artificial milkweed, which I do keep on hand if needed. However, I'd also do what I can to not be relying on the Honeyvine, and try to only take in what Monarchs I could support with their preferred milkweed (which would depend upon someone's location...for me, that'd be the Common Milkweed).
It's kind of the strategy of wanting to give them the best option available if I have the means. I'd rather rear 10 Monarchs off of high quality milkweed than 30 Monarchs off of less than the best. Does that makes sense?
Much luck to your efforts!😃🦋👍
That makes complete sense. I have tons of milkweed in my backyard from planting last year, so I'll be sure to use that for the caterpillars!