Bugs?? Cabbage Aphids??

Squirtle's mom

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Nov 12, 2017
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We’re growing kale and I noticed earlier today that we had an infestation of Cabbage Aphids. I believe we had an infestation a while ago too with a different batch of kale but I just thought they were kale seeds (bc that makes sense) and washed them off (they were green at that time). I’ve cut off all stalks containing the bugs or any trace of them but I want to know the dangers this could impose on my Russian, my mom said it might be extra protein but torts don’t eat insects (to my knowledge) so how much of a risk will it be if he does accidentally ingest a couple Aphids??

Pic of one of the stalks before I cut them off:
IMG_7444.jpg
 

RosemaryDW

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Newport Coast, CA
How lucky your tortoise is to be eating foods grown by you. Your aphid infestation is solid proof he is not eating pesticides!

Your tortoise will not be harmed by eating a few aphids. There are bug pests in the wild, not just our yards. :) Tortoises may not ingest them intentionally but they ingest them nonetheless, with no obvious harm done.

You’re keeping the aphids to a minimum, just keep doing that.
 

Bambam1989

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The sow thistle in my yard is infested with aphids... Clunker seems to think they are just extra seasoning..
 

Squirtle's mom

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Nov 12, 2017
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Just a quick update (although a little late lol) I did spray the kale with some soapy water in a hope that it would either kill off all remaining Aphids or at least deter them. I checked up on it a couple days ago and I don’t think the plants gonna make it :/ unsurprisingly not all the Aphids were removed and a whole bunch more were on the flowers and many of the leaves had yellowed and died. This seems to happen every time with kale :(
 
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