perhaps an aphid?

Well, if it's an aphid, then I'm being bombarded by several species. 1st, grayish white cabbage aphids, then the very common green aphids and now these black aphids??

Organic methods are starting to piss me off. I've sprayed with neem and soap for the last month every week and I really don't see a decrease in populations. And it's only April!

I want to buy some lacewings but the ants will probably just scare them away. :(

Kevin

Nobody else want to chime in here like Rhizo or ken... since jean001's reply seemed like a guess?

Thanks

Kevin

Well, you can take jean's guesses to the bank! Yes, that's a winged aphid. I've been seeing a lot of them at my place right now. These are probably a new generation of females, freshly hatched from overwintering eggs.

Are you using 'real ' insecticidal soap? If you aren't happy with the results, try adding a little bit of vinegar to the water. Insecticidal soaps work so much better if the water is slightly acid. And you can take THAT to the bank!

i dont deserve to be equated with jean and rhiz.. lol ...

you said: I've sprayed with neem and soap for the last month every week and I really don't see a decrease in populations. And it's only April!

exactly what have you been spraying??? ... they are contact kills arent they.. and that nymph wasnt around a day or two ago ...

and so what if they are around.. what IF ANY damage have you seen ..

i think you are a bit addicted to the kill ... and let me tell you.. you will NEVER defeat what mother nature can throw at you..

but until you find damage.. who the heck cares whats out there ...

you gotta do some zen man.. lol

relax.. observe.. and worry about the bugs.. when they actually do something bad.. otherwise .. ignore them ...

ken

ps: ever wonder how many beneficials you may have wiped out.. which hatched just ahead of the hordes ???? now there is something to ponder ....

woohooman, here's my perspective.
You posted a request for an ID.
You perceived a well-intentioned, well-thought-out answer as a 'guess'.
You mentioned clues; "Well, if it's an aphid, then I'm being bombarded by several species..... then the very common green aphids and now these black aphids?? ...... but the ants will probably just scare them away.
If you had acknowledged jean001a's response by 'googling' the life cycle of aphids, you would have found out that she was not guessing; but had done what we do on this forum; provide answers without spoon-feeding or condescending to the reader.
I am sorry that organic methods are starting to frustrate you... because any change as fundamental as that will require perseverance and stamina on the part of the aspiring practitioner. Some have it; others don't.
Finally, let me share with you a concept that I have learned over the years.
"Every chemical is designed and tested for specific purposes and will provide the desired results when applied at stated rates under certain conditions".
Therefore, when a chemical fails to deliver, it is likely to be "operator error".

Thanks everybody.

Btw, ronalawn. I wasn't questioning jean's expertise in gardening. I've gotten great advice from her/him? since I joined gardenweb. I thought it MIGHT be a guess for 3 reasons...

1)not the best pic in the world
2)the word "perhaps"
3)umm.. the question mark

"provide answers without spoon-feeding or condescending to the reader.
I am sorry that organic methods are starting to frustrate you... because any change as fundamental as that will require perseverance and stamina on the part of the aspiring practitioner. Some have it; others don't. "

That's not condescending???

It's not operator error..I know how to read and I know how to follow directions on the bottle. It's just that it seems that I'm constantly fighting aphids throughout the year. I'm not an entomologist. That's why i ask questions on gardenweb. Because I know I can usually get some pretty good expert advice.

It's just frustration... I want less pest problems while trying to integrate an IPM program with limited space.

Ken:

I'm actually pretty passive about pest control-- about the only things I use is BT, neem oil, soap and recently, DE. Like I mentioned in my original post, I'm TRYING to go IPM. That's why I took the time to catch this insect and take a pic. I wanted to find out if it was possibly a beneficial.

Thanks again.

Kevin

Umm, it's like this. The word "perhaps" and the question mark were because of the image quality.

As for being "bombarded by aphids" -- yeah, I know about that, too. It seems that every plant I (you, too) grow, will have at least one aphid pest a year.

Jean,
who previously gardened in Long Beach, CA, for 30-some years.

PS: I'm a "her."
:)

Here is where I am always 'coming from'.

Thanks Jean. And I thought you were a her... just didn't want to offend you. With the way people spell names nowadays, one never knows.

:)

Kevin