Honeysuckle infestation

[campbellking]

We have a mature honeysuckle in our garden, which got mildly infested with what may be blackfly last year, but still flowered well. This year, however, it has really suffered and the flowers didn't come out properly and turned into black goo. We sprayed with insecticide fairly early on, but this made little difference. Any suggestions for what we should do?

[Thunderbird+]

It looks to me like the blackfly / aphids are over-wintering, but not necsessarily on the honeysuckle but also on near-by woody plants, in cracks and crevices in bark etc where eggs may be laid.
The eggs can be destroyed by spraying with a tar-oil wash in december or january. Good Luck T bird+

[campbellking]

Thanks for your advice. There aren't any other woody plants near it, so hopefully attacking the honeysuckle will work!