Lonicera problem

Kev121

Hi
Can anyone tell what this is on my lonicera flower?
Is it black aphid??
I have sprayed it with a bug spray...
Cheers kevin.

micearguers

A bug spray is more likely to do harm than good. It does not solve any underlying issue, and will probably harm natural predators of a pest as well. Plants can survive a little bug attack. In this case the insects seem interested in the flower, which will fade anyway.

Edit: Best to make sure the plant feels happy, has sufficient moisture and is in soil that is not too poor. It is not really suited to pots. If the plant is congested (but from your picture is does not seem to be) it can be pruned; see e.g. https://www.seasonalgardening.co.uk/climbers/lonicera-japonica.asp

Anyway, the bugs look innocuous to me, I'm curious what they are.

Obelixx

You certainly shouldn't be spraying before identifying them in case they are beneficial predators of pests like aphids.   In any case, if you leave them alone or just blast them off with a squirt from a hosepipe no harm is done. 

In a balanced garden, pests are eaten by their predators and that includes birds like sparrows and tts who feed them to their nestlings.  A healthy plant will recover so make sure your plant is well fed and watered and not otherwise stressed. 

Kev121

Hi
Thanks for your reply, ive noticed today on my walk that the wild lonicera in the hedges also appeare to have the same issue??
Thanks kevin

micearguers

In summary, try to view it as something naturally occurring in an ecosystem, not as an issue. Even if the plant suffered from it - which it does not seem to do - the best approach is still to create good conditions for the plant, rather than adding toxins to the ecosystem. These bugs look akin to fruit flies to me, just drawn in by the sweetness of the flowers. You'll similarly see tiny pollen beetles congregating on flowers.