Aphids causing problems in Regina following ladybug shortage
Some Regina residents might have noticed sap on their cars, but it’s not coming from trees; a small insect, known an aphid, is to blame.
Aphids are small sap sucking bugs found around the world. Perhaps for humans, they are most recognizable from the honeydew they leave behind. The substance, similar to a syrup, often leads to sticky cars and sidewalks.
“Think of it comparatively to a mosquito,” said Russell Erich, manager of open space services for the City of Regina.
“Aphids are like a mosquito to a tree, They have a sucking mouth part, they like to suck the juices out of the leaves, and then they exert a honeydew, which makes the trees really sticky.”
Aphids are generally a simple inconvenience for people, but they can have a big impact on trees and plants.
“The aphids will stress the plants and if a plant gets stressed then it is susceptible to disease and you can get mortality from it as well,” said Eirich.
Normally, the city and Cherry Lane Greenhouse bring in ladybugs to fight the insects. However, this year ladybugs have not been brought into Regina.
“There’s been a shortage for the ladybugs,” said Colleen McGillivray, owner of Cherry Lane Greenhouse. “We were told that it’s the fires out of California if you order them in. But sometimes you just have to get into the leaves and you can find them in Saskatchewan, too. They love aphids.”
Instead, soap and water can be used to treat them.
“You don’t want a whole bunch of soap, you just want a little bit,” said McGillivray. “But just a couple days of washing it off and you’ve got them in control”
In Regina, aphids are primarily seen on elm trees. Eirich said the city receives roughly 60 calls a week about the bugs.
“We take a look at the trees, and if we see an aphid problem on those trees from that call, we will spray those trees,” said Eirich.
On top of leaving a sticky mess on your car, the honeydew will also attract ants and wasps. Aphids can be seen on trees where there are sticky leaves, or if the leaves start to curl up.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.