Woolly aphids

I have discovered my crab apple tree has woolly aphids. What is the best way to treat it?. It has been suggested that I need to cut it down. I have blasted it with a pressure washer several times and also sprayed it with a general bug killer. It still comes back. help please!!

Me too- my lupins were the best ever this year- and then the grey bugs/aphids came........sprayed and sprayed and still came back...... any ideas??

You need to treat the tree with a systemic insecticide, spray as many of the leaves you can, the chemical will then be taken into the trees tissue. Spray every 7 days until the aphids are wiped out.

The insecticide shouldn`t have any effect on the fruit, busybee.The tree can only absorb the insecticide through the leaves. It will then be transmitted throughout the plant so will take care of the beasties.lol. Lizzy, did you use a systemic insecticide?

Hi daitum

Probably not- just a bug spray- one to fit all I think......  didn't know there were different ones.

Are you sure they're wooly aphids ?   Normally you'd find them on the undersides of leaves rather than on branches / new growth.  

Why are you worried about a systemic insecticide affecting the fruit?   Are you planning on making crab apple jelly?   If so, I would not use a systemic - I wouldn't want insecticide in anything i was planning to eat.

I've used SB Plant Invigorator on wooly aphid recently (if that is what you've got) - spray thoroughly every few days for a week, then weekly for a few more weeks until they're all dead.

Dizzylizzy, you have Lupin Aphid rather than Woolly Aphid.  The same advice applies though - use a systemic insecticide like Provado Ultimate Bug Killer.  Lupin Aphid can easily kill a plant as the infestations are usually extremely heavy.