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Get rid of them safely!
Water plants are not immune from the nasty little aphids, which suck their leaves and stems. Aphids are tiny brown or black bugs that show up in masses on the leaves of plants. On water plants, they will usually hunker down deep in the folds of new growth or dot the upper surface. If there are aphids, you're likely to find ants nearby on dry land. Ants are aphid ranchers and where there are aphids, there are probably ants! Unless you live in fire ant country, the ants aren't a problem, but the aphids are. Obviously you can't spray pesticides into your pond if you keep fish. Fortunately, the best aphid controls are organic!
For immediate removal, dunk the infested plant under the water and hold it there until the aphids let go. Once they are free floating they will make great fish food. If you don't want to get in the pond right away, direct a jet of water from your garden hose onto the plants. This should wash most of them into the drink. If you're willing to get wet, manually rub the bugs off of the leaves under the water. Your fish will love this!
Unfortunately, the aphids that don't drown will find their ways back onto your plants and dunking would have to be done several times a day for a long time to really get rid of them. Another method you can use is to remove the infested plants from the pond, rinse off the aphids with your garden hose, and spray the leaves with cooking spray! This smothers the remaining bugs, and after you replace the plant in your pond the dead ones will dislodge and feed your fish. There will not be enough oil from the spray to cause any trouble at all in your pond.
If you still haven't eradicated the little monsters, it's time to cook up something a little stronger. A teaspoon of insecticidal soap and ½ teaspoon of cooking oil in a quart of water can be sprayed on the plants after removing them from the pond. They can be replaced in the pond immediately after treatment.
In addition to the above, or even instead of the above, you should release ladybugs into your garden. There's nothing they love more than a good aphid snack. Ladybugs can be purchased from garden centers. Put them in the vegetable crisper of your refrigerator until you've watered your lawn, and wetted the exposed parts of your water plants. Let the ladybugs out on wet leaves at night or dusk so the birds won't get as many of them. They will be thirsty, but once their thirst is quenched they will go to work on your aphid problem! You may have to release them more than once the first couple of years, but eventually they will probably stake a claim on your yard as a great source of water and food!
Finally, consider planting things that lure other aphid eaters to your pond. Herbs like dill and fennel, and perennials like butterfly weed entice other bugs that that will join the ladybugs in their aphid feast!
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