greenfly

Greenfly are not flies at all - the word is a common name for small green aphids. These tiny, pear-shaped insects are a common sight in gardens and on houseplants. They suck sap from plants, causing leaves to curl, wilt, or grow out of shape. A heavy infestation can really weaken a plant, but thankfully, they are often easy to deal with - a strong spray of water can sometimes do the trick. You will often hear gardeners complaining about greenfly in spring and summer.

Think of them as tiny vampires for your plants - they do not bite you, but they do feed on greenery. They can even attract ants, which "farm" them for their sugary honeydew. So if you see ants marching up your rose bush, there is a good chance these little pests are nearby.

Greenfly is a familiar garden word for small green aphids, especially the kinds that gather on soft new growth. The name may sound like it refers to a fly, but it does not. These insects are aphids, not true flies, and they belong to the insect order Hemiptera.

They are small and usually green, which is where the name comes from, though related aphids can be other colors. They feed by piercing plant tissue with straw-like mouthparts and sucking out sap. This weakens the plant and can make leaves curl, twist, or become sticky with a substance called honeydew, which often attracts ants.

What makes them particularly troublesome is how quickly they reproduce. In warmer months, many aphids can reproduce asexually, meaning females produce live young without needing a male. This lets their numbers rise very fast. Some also develop wings when conditions become crowded, which helps them spread to other plants.

Gardeners often fight greenfly by spraying plants with water or soapy water, bringing in natural predators such as ladybugs, or simply removing them by hand. They are a nuisance, but they are also a real part of the garden ecosystem. So the next time you spot a cluster on your roses, you will know exactly what kind of tiny visitor has arrived.