Root aphids

[Palustris]

I have been cleaning up my Auricula seedlings and far too many of them have bad infestations of root aphids. Has anyone ever found an effective insecticide? At the moment I am washing all the compost off the plants in a Horticultural soft soap solution. The aphids are covered in a wax which stops normal insecticides from reaching the creatures. The plants were soaked in Scott's Vine Weevil Killer when first potted up a few months ago. That does not seem to have had any effect on the aphids
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

[David Nicholson]

I had attacks regularly in my Primula growing days. I always used Methylated Spirits applied with cotton buds which was recommended to me by an Aurcula grower of old.

[Graeme]

I get root aphids every time I buy plants from a source I won't name - particularly hybrid primulas

What I have found is that if I leave them in a bowl of Jeys Fluid mix for about 12 hours they seem to die

I used to grow a lot of auriculas

For the brave
Hydrogen Peroxide can be used as a first step before you invest any money in a solution. Hydrogen peroxide works at killing aphid larvae.
Hydrogen peroxide can harm your roots if used to much.
Dry out the soil for a couple of days, then mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 4 parts water and soak your infected plants. When the growing medium starts to foam, it means the larvae are now being killed.

for the not so brave
Neem Oil is an excellent natural remedy that works on all type of insects and fungal outbreaks. Make sure the soil is completely dry.
Simply mix two tablespoons per gallon of water and soak the roots of your plants.

Nuclear options
Botanigard ES is something that is quite expensive, but it does the job. This stuff is nasty to the aphid it fills the larvae with a fungus and kills it. If you need the final solution then this is your ticket.
Azamax is a great second alternative after natural remedies; it is 100 percent vegetable base solution that is made for all insects chewing and sucking. Can be used in foliar sprays or when watering plants.
Azatr​ol a food grade insecticide that works ideal for hydroponic tanks and is perfect for soaking the soil when you have an outbreak.
Azatrol kills the larvae of root aphids.

[Palustris]

Thanks. Have ordered some Neem oil, will give that a go first.
Looking at insecticides which contain Pyrethrum, the plants have already been drenched with one of the ones which is on the list. Perhaps one needs to mix the insecticide with a soap to wash off the waxy coating on the aphids?

[Yann]

I've the same problem with Muscari this year, i tried Pyrethrum but after several treatments it didn't work.
I used olive soap and then neem oil it worked in surface. Checking my pots this week end i still found several bulbs with aphids....and mosaic virus. I'll trash rare species but i don't want the virus to propagate in the greenhouse.

[Palustris]

From what I have been reading, root aphids seem to be very difficult to eradicate. I am waiting for the Auricula seedling pots to dry out. It is recommended that the drench is used on dry soil. As an experiment I am going to drop some Vine weevil grubs into a Neem oil solution to see if it kills them. Watch this space!