[3759allen]

does anyone know if spraying fruit trees with fairy liquid and water to kill black fly will also effect lady birds?

i have a black fly problem again and spray to keep on top of them. i also have a few ladybirds on the trees, i would like to keep the ladys to try and do their job.

[mumofstig]

I don't know, so I tend to avoid them when I'm spraying.

[Goneterseed]

You could gently spray with clean water first then the ladybirds should fly away, then spray with soap.

[AussieInFrance]

My understanding is that the soapy water affects the soft shell/body of aphids. ladybirds have a harder shell. But, because ladybirds are so precious i delay using anything while they're around. Without a few aphids for them to attract them they'll move on. Always a toss up as to what constitutes enough of an incentive and what's too many aphids.

[Trikidiki]

I would avoid using detergents like washing up liquid as it can damage the plants, especially in hot weather. Soap is less harmful to the plants and is unlikely to hurt ladybirds and other predatory insects. It is believed to break down the coating on the aphid's 'shell' which causes them to dehydrate.

[Dr_Pepper]

Very dependent upon the strength of the soap solution. Having shells, adult ladybirds are likely to escape unscathed from a light shower of dilute soap, as are eggs but soft-bodied juvenile ladybirds (they eat a lot more aphids) will almost certainly perish. Like a lot of organically approved pesticides, soaps are very indiscriminate and kill lots of 'good guys' along with the bad e.g. parasitic wasps, hoverflies, predatory mites etc.

[Grubbypaws]

Unfortunately I don’t have this problem as I have not yet seen a ladybird in my garden this year 

Is this just my garden or is there something serious to worry about?

I dont use chemicals and aim for a completely nature friendly environment so I don’t think that it is anything that I am doing.

Worried.

[Headgardener22]

I would think that it would (particularly the larvae which can't run away). I've read (somewhere) that washing-up liquid works by blocking the spiracles (breathing holes) in the insects so I would have thought this applied to all insects.

[JayG]

According to THIS article the way soaps and detergents kill aphids is not fully understood, and not all soaps and detergents are equal, either in their effectiveness or whether they are likely to damage plants.

[3759allen]

interesting read.

i have noticed today that there are quite a few lady birds on the tree, some appear to also be reproducing. the black fly doesn't seem to be spreading to the tree that hasn't really been effected and maybe slightly decreasing in numbers.

the tree that has been eaten alive by the little critters doesn't seem to have much fruit, i'm guessing this is because the tree is trying to recover from being eaten rather than producing fruit?

i will keep any eye and see if the lady birds can fill up and get rid of the black fly with no need for soap.