Aphids Attack!

Aphids! I didn’t take this photo in my garden, but if I did, what would I do?

Nothing! Why?

Great question! When aphids attack, the plant responds by releasing chemical signatures that advertise to beneficial insects, “Free! All you can eat buffet!” Birds and spiders show up to the party too.

Neighboring plants also pick up this signal and rapidly respond with their own chemical defenses.

Thirdly, this broccoli plant has already provided a harvest. So now its role has shifted to being a pollinator friend and buffet for the food web.

Pretty cool, really.

As a new gardener, I had a low threshold for insects attacking my plants. I was afraid if I let them go they would take over everything and move in permanently. Eventually, I’d find them on our couch hoarding the remote control. The more I mature into this role of steward, the more insights I gain into nature’s processes. The less I do to directly exert control. Instead, I create a diversity of plants with varying bloom times, mixing in natives wherever possible, ensuring there’s some water available and bare soil… Then I wait and see.

Resources

• Pest and Disease
• June Calendar – Lots of photos and examples of pest prey relationships in my garden.
• PNW Handbooks Definitive, research based pest, disease, and weed IPM control information.