Q: We have a tree in our front yard and it is covered with
little gnats. There is a pile an inch or more deep at the base
of the tree and they cover most of the limbs and trunk. There
are also millions of them in the air. How do we get rid of them?
You have to hold your breath and squint to walk through the
front yard! A: This is the time of year when certain aphid
populations build to huge numbers. My guess is that the insects
you see are green peach aphids or crapemyrtle aphids. Under a
magnifying glass, a peach aphid is olive green and has two small
tubes extending from the rear of its body. There are winged and
wingless forms. Wasps, yellowjackets, beetles and spiders are
feasting on aphids right now. A blast from a water hose is
usually all that’s needed to control them. You’ve also probably
noticed a black film covering nearby surfaces. This is just
sooty mold, which forms on the honeydew released by the aphids.
I see many crapemyrtles whose stems and mulch are almost
completely black from the mold caus