Those Darned Aphids!

by Kristina Hughes, Clear Creek County Master Gardener Lime tree- Photo by Kristina Hughes For those of us who like to let our houseplants spend time in the great outdoors during the warm months, there are many benefits. My plants love being outside in a protected location and they reward me with vigorous growth and rich blooms. Those benefits come with a price, however, and I have paid a price. My lime tree in particular seems to attract aphids, which isn’t a problem when the plant is outside. Aphids are a favorite food of many birds and predatory insects. Aphids are an important food source for beneficial insects such as lady beetles (especially their larvae) and green lacewing larvae (see photo below). Some people recommend allowing small numbers of aphids to be part of a garden ecosystem, to support healthy populations of the predatory beneficials that love to eat aphids. My lime tree does fine when it’s outside in the summer. But a couple of years ago, right around this time of ye