Mites, or something of the sort on Hibiscus

[JScott]

I know a Hibiscus isn't an orchid, but I thought this was the best forum to post this in. I water my Hibiscuses every day, and I inspect them every day watching for open flowers and new buds and such, so whatever happened to this one happened fast, because I only noticed it tonight, and it is covered.

My first thought was whiteflies, but that doesn't seem right. They don't seem to fly. But if you run your finger along an infested leaf, it leaves a greasy smear on your finger. I've never seen anything exactly like this.

Anybody know what it is? I'm sure I can treat it with any broad spectrum pesticide. I try to avoid chemicals in my garden, but sometimes, you have to make an exception. I love my Hibiscus, and i need these guys to be dead. It looks like they are starting to deform the flower buds.

I guess I could try horticultural oil first in order to be ecologically sensitive, but I feel more like I'd rather kill them with toxic gas, if I could. Or fire. Anybody have any ideas on what they are or how best to eradicate them?

[SouthPark]

Maybe carbaryl if you have it. Or also try imidacloprid (but also is deadly to bees).

[estación seca]

Those are aphids. It's easy to kill them with liquid dish soap in water 1 teaspoon/5ml per quart/liter of water. Spray all the plant. Hurry. Aphids give birth to clones rather than eggs duringsummer. They can overwhelm a plant quickly.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Those are aphids. It's easy to kill them with liquid dish soap in water 1 teaspoon/5ml per quart/liter of water. Spray all the plant. Hurry. Aphids give birth to clones rather than eggs duringsummer. They can overwhelm a plant quickly.

I thought maybe aphids, but they didn't look like any I've seen before. They are way smaller than any aphids I've ever seen before, but I trust that you know what you are talking about, as you are usually right, so I'll treat it like aphies and see what happens.

[Selmo]

As ES said those are aphids.

[estación seca]

Now that I look at it on a desktop rather than my phone, they might also be white flies or the early stage of scale. Treatment would be the same. But aphid attack on Hibiscus is very common, and they sit in exactly these places on the plant.

[Dollythehun]

Aphids. Yes, that can happen very quickly! When you water regularly, also hit them with a water jet. It won't eliminate them but, it'll knock a lot of them off.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Now that I look at it on a desktop rather than my phone, they might also be white flies or the early stage of scale. Treatment would be the same. But aphid attack on Hibiscus is very common, and they sit in exactly these places on the plant.

Whiteflies was actually my first thought when I saw them. I don't want to argue with people who know more than I do, and I trust ES's judgement, but aphids just didn't seem right to me. I know aphids, and these just didn't look like aphids to me. But the treatment is the same, so I guess it doesn't matter if they are aphids or white flies or scale. It is still early in the infestation, although it is progressing fast, so if I get it treated in the next day or two, I'm sure it will be fine.

[Dollythehun]

JScott, there a a slew of different kinds of aphids! Every size and color of the rainbow. These look a lot like some I've seen. But you can also use Azamax which is organic and effective. Follow the directions exactly.

[JScott]

I'll get some of that and treat it. I'm pretty new in Texas, so maybe we just have different aphids here than the ones we had in Oklahoma. They sure don't look like any I've seen before, but you guys seem sure, and I feel like I can trust you. But whether they are aphids or not, I'm sure the Azamax will take care of it. I'm looking at it on Amazon, and it says it is a broad spectrum pest control, so that should do the trick. Thanks for your help!