My large 60 year old Schefflera (umbrella plant) has aphids??

catwoman707

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I have the plant on my front porch, and when I watered it today I noticed on a couple of branches close to the top where the leaves are, tiny little bugs. Must be aphids I suppose but never had them on this plant or any other plants besides roses before.

Anyone know an easy simple way to get rid of them?
Here's a pic, not sure they will show up though.

Okay now that I see them on the pic, they don't look like aphids to me. Eeeooo.

 

mani

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Looks like scale to me.  If there aren't too many you can just wash them off with lightly soapy water.  Or there are pyrethrum sprays you can buy. Or make up white oil and spray them - 2 cups vegetable oil to 1/2 cup dish washing liquid.. it smothers them
 
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catwoman707

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Scale? Are they like little tiny beetles? Where do they come from?
 

mani

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They are sap-suckers and are brought by ants who have a symbiotic relationship with them. They can be a sign that the plant is unhealthy - too little or not enough water, the need to re-pot or no food will promote them.  Check your pot isn't root bound and that there aren't ants living in it (which they will if it's dry)
 
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catwoman707

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They are sap-suckers and are brought by ants who have a symbiotic relationship with them. They can be a sign that the plant is unhealthy - too little or not enough water, the need to re-pot or no food will promote them.  Check your pot isn't root bound and that there aren't ants living in it (which they will if it's dry)
No kidding?!
The plant is quite healthy, but surely is root bound, probably has been for 15 or more years, but still healthy, but I bet it's not getting enough water...

So if I provide it more water more often, the ants will go away?

Use what to get these little critters off? Soap and oil?

 
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catwoman707

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The lighter colored leaves are the plant next to it, not the one I'm talking about.
 
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