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are your best allies. Ladybirds can be bought as a biological control, and you can also buy ladybird houses to encourage these helpful creatures to take up residence in your garden. They need time to tackle the problem, so don't expect them to hoover up

the problem long-term but deals with the aphids in the short-term.Spray the tree with thiacloprid the moment you spot any aphids. Small numbers are far more easily tackled than large, rapidly multiplying infestations.apples, crab apples, cotoneaster, hawthorn

of the plant, attracting black sooty mould, which inhibits photosynthesis and deprives the plant of energy.Young tender growth is vulnerable to aphid attack. These tiny insects (1mm-7mm long) are usually green or black and breed fast, smothering the plant

In mid-spring, 2mm-long, greenish-brown, adult bay suckers emerge from overwintering. They feed on young bay leaves, turning them yellow and making the edges thicken and curl. The females then lay eggs under the curling edges and the new, young grey

of yellow-green or red.If the symptoms were evident last summer, in winter get rid of the eggs by spraying plants with an enzyme wash, which will quickly dissolve them.In spring, spray plants with the systemic insecticide thiacloprid or pyrethrum to kill

The horse chestnut scale insect was first found in the UK in the late 1960s, having come over from southern Europe. It is now widespread and common in the south of the UK and Ireland, and is spreading northwards. Mature, adult horse chestnut scale

and squish them. You could also spray with organic pesticides based on pyrethrum in spring and summer.Again, there's no real need to control the beetle, but you can kill them by spraying with a bug spray that contains thiacloprid.mint, pennyroyal

infestations, scrape off the scales by hand and dispose of them. For heavy infestations, prune out those branches that are badly affected. Spray with a plant oil wash in winter.euonymusmid-July, early September, winterMore common garden pestsWhiteflyLeaf miner

one edge. Brush the clean edge of the card over the top of your plants - when the beetles hop into the air they'll stick to the grease. Repeat as necessary.Use pyrethrum chemical controls, or spray seedling brassicas with a thiacloprid insecticide

or they'll fly off.At the first sign of attack, spray plants with acetamiprid or sunflower oil. Treatment is more effective on larvae than adults.lilies, fritillaries and Solomon's sealspring, summer, autumnMore common garden pestsPollen beetleFlea beetle