Aphids - just how destructive are they?

[BillStickers]

My "garden" consists of a few chilli plants on my kitchen shelf.
I noticed that one plant is crawling with tiny wingless aphids, and they will no doubt spread to the other plants.
I can't think what I can do short of kidnapping a ladybird and introducing her to my unlimited aphid larder , but I don't know that she'll be clever enough or hungry enough to stay put.
Seriously though, they are all sitting on the newly sprouted chilli peppers and the remaining flowers and I can't get them off.
So my question is, will they be doing untold harm to my plants or can I leave them there?

thanks

[Clanad]

Probably doing harm to a greater of lesser degree depending on what they are for sure. A simple solution is to mix about 1 tabelspoon full of ordinary liquid dish soap, 1 tabelspoon of rubbing alcohol and 2 quarts of warm water. Using a hand-held spray bottle, thoroughly soak the plant... upper and bottom side of all leaves. The residue will continus to kill aphids and, after the hatch has subsided you should not have any problems. Keep in mind they hatch from eggs and there will be lots of them for a short while since the life cycle of the insect is probably less than 10 days or so. However, be on guard for a following hatch. If you are successful in obliterating this aphid hatch they will not have reached adulthood to lay additional eggs... Best of luck!

[HeadGardener]

Hi Bill,

As an organic gardener I have in the past had great success in importing ladybirds on to climbing runner beans infested with black fly. Within one to two weeks the blackfly are usually all gone. I also found other ladybirds arrived on the scene to help out in the clear up operation.

Nature sometimes needs a helping hand in the garden.

Happy gardening
Head Gardener

[Thunderbird+]

Personally, I can never find a ladybird grub around when I want one and like Clanad, I keep some Ecological washing up liquid, ready mixed and ready to hand and spray any sign of aphids on sight.
I hope you will find this will knock em for six ! Tbird+

[BillStickers]

Hi,

Thanks for your answers. Head Gardener, I would love to use that method but I don't want all that insect warfare going on in my actual kitchen...

Clanad and Tbird+, I put some Eco washing up liquid in a srayer with water and let them have it. I now have a colony of ex aphids still clinging to my plants so thanks for advising that method.

It was a funny thing to observe them on the plants when they were alive, every few seconds they all seemed to lift their rear abdomens in unison as though communicating in some way.

cheers

Bill