How to Identify Cabbage Aphids

Identifying the cabbage aphid, a major pest, is the first step toward ridding your garden of this uninvited guest. Don't let the name fool you; just because they're called cabbage aphids doesn't mean they attack cabbages only. Your cauliflower, radish and kale plants are also at risk. The aphids tend to appear on young crops and populate quickly. The sooner you eliminate them, the better.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Look on the underside of your plant's leaves. The mealy gray cabbage aphids tend to travel in colonies, feasting on the back of the leaves and sucking the sap from the plant. They also enjoy young leaves and flowering plant parts. On cabbages, they feast on the cabbage head.

2. Investigate the insects. The adult cabbage aphid is about 2 millimeters long, has a greenish-white hue and is covered by a waxy substance that protects it from water. The adults may have wings; these aphids lack the wax covering. Cabbage aphid nymphs are pear-shaped.

3. Check for garden pests after a spell of hot weather. Cabbage aphids tend to succumb to predators or parasites during cooler, less humid weather.

4. Eliminate the pesky cabbage aphids from your garden. If you choose a commercial pest remover, make sure the product is safe on your vegetables. You can also try soapy water. Regular water won't work because of the waxy coating on the aphids' bodies.

Tips & Warnings

• Cabbage aphids multiply quickly. One aphid can asexually produce 100 babies in a single month, and those babies each have the ability to reproduce within 15 days of birth. It's best to eliminate them from your garden as quickly as you identify them.
• The biggest problem with cabbage aphids is they can contaminate your entire crop. If the colony is dense enough, the leaves on your plants can curl, almost as if they are protecting the aphids from predators.