Its to bad you don't have mantellas they love ants and aphids. Also hatchling chameleons will eat aphids with gusto because they taste sweet from all the plant juices they suck up.

Rubbing a banana skin on the plants will deter aphids. A slightly soapy water spray can help. As can a chyrsanthemum (cant spell it) spray.

Ants "farm" aphids, so getting rid of one will get rid of the other.

I'll have to try the banana skin. Lol...I hope your not playing a joke on me.

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"A-Kuna-Mattata" - Timon and Pumba

The ants are carrying the aphids back up the stem because they are farming them. I remember seeing this once on Discovery...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1009212548.htm

No joke! Do a google search and Im sure you'll find others that suggest it.

I usually use lady beetles for aphid control in my greenhouse, but I've tried the banana peel method before with pretty good results. use the inside of the peel. Dont get actual banana fruit on the plant (as it would attract fruit flies). Its better as a repelant to ward off an infestation, but it will still help your current situation.

Another option: put all these (or most - its okay to leave one or two things out if you dont have them handy) into a blender, blend until everything is smooth and runny, strain out the bits, let sit for 24 hours, paint on or spray on plants. It keeps all sorts of bugs away.
-a banana peel
-1 tablespoon of dish washing liquid
-4 or so cups of water (need not be exact)
-a cigar butt (or a couple cigarette butts (no filters) or a pinch of chewing tobaco)
-a few tablespoons of a cola drink
-a clove of garlic
-1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper
-1/4 cup fresh mint
-tablespoon or 2 of horseradish


*Warning: Tobacco spray is very good for killing bugs such as aphids and caterpillars. But don't use this solution on peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, or any other member of the solanaceous family. Tobacco chemicals can kill these types of plants! Also dont use on a plant from which you are soon to harvest fruit, unless you want the fruit to taste awful

That's an awesome tip. I'm definitely gonna try it out. Do you keep your chams in the greenhouse too?

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"A-Kuna-Mattata" - Timon and Pumba

Too darn cold here most of the year, too hot in the greenhouse the rest of the year! So my chameleons are indoors 99% of the time. Some of their plants rotate from cage to greenhouse then back to cage - plants are hardier!

If you try the recipie, Im thinking you should leave out the hot stuff and maybe not use the tobacoo (though its effective) cuz if your chams eat leaves it might be bad for them too - or even if they free-range feed, in case the hot stuff hurts thier tongues? The banana peel wont hurt anyone, so I hope that helps!

My cham eats lady bugs?

How long has your cham been doing this? Im pretty sure they are toxic. you generally want to stay away from brightly colored bugs.

__________________
"A-Kuna-Mattata" - Timon and Pumba

chyrsanthemum spray I believe contains pyrethrins..."Both pyrethrins and pyrethroids are highly toxic to fish, tadpoles, lizards and beneficial insects"...
http://thegreenguide.com/reports/pro...ml?id=76&sec=2

http://books.google.ca/books?id=qQVV...um=5&ct=result

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=17307154