Little green pepper pests

[cloud dreamer]

This is my first year growing peppers and I've just found little green bugs under the leaves. They're the same green as the leaf and probably no more than a few millimetres in size. Any idea what they are and how to control them? Not sure they'd come out very well in a photo.

Thanks!

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Zone 5a in Canada's Far East.

[OmManiPadmeOmelet]

Aphids most likely? Are they teardrop shaped?

Order a quart of ladybird beetles (ladybugs)

Or use a tobacco tea spray. Soak cigarettes in water, put in a sprayer bottle.

[cloud dreamer]

Yes, they do appear to be teardrop shaped.

I've seen suggestions for a chili soap spray for aphids. Would that work as well?

(I'm not a smoker :)

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Zone 5a in Canada's aphid infested Far East!

[OmManiPadmeOmelet]

I've never used chili spray.

I'm not a smoker either and neither was mom, but she sprang for a pack of ciggies to make the tea.

It worked. ;-)

Garlic emulsion spray is supposed to work for a lot of pests but it's more a repellant than a pesticide. Tobacco tea will kill them.

Personally, I'd go for the ladybugs if you can wait for a shipment. Check google for sources. They are a renewable pest control. The larvae would be even better if you can get them...

[cloud dreamer]

I've given them a spray of the chili soap water and it definitely knocks thems off the leaves. It's only three plants so it's not hard to keep up with them. If there were more, I'd spring for the ladybugs. (There aren't many here...I'd be lucky to see a single ladybug in a season...probably too windy for them).

I'll harass my sister tomorrow for a few smokes and apply that if they return. So far, I haven't seen them on anything else. They're in a greenhouse with a couple of tomato plants and they're fine...so far.

Thanks.

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Zone 5a in Canada's Aphid-free Far East.

[OmManiPadmeOmelet]

Most welcome. :-) Best of luck!

[Steve Peek]

[Nightingale]

You don't have to be. I buy a new bag of loose tobacco every spring and call it my insecticide.... it's cheaper than the rolled cigs and easier to use.

-K