All About Aphids
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Suzanne "Buglady" Wainwright-Evans
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| Photo Credit: ©2003 Buglady Consulting |
| Like snakes, aphids shed their skin as they grow and leave them behind. These skins are often mistaken for pest insects themselves. If you look closely you’ll see there are no living insects here, so no need to treat the plant. |
You work hard to create the garden you love, and obviously you don’t want to see it under attack. Bugs, children, the occasional wild Frisbee – almost anything can destroy the plants you’re trying desperately to nurture. And some plant adversaries are easier to control than others: You can always plead with Jimmy Neighbor Boy not to tromp thoughtlessly through your perennials as he takes his usual shortcut through your back yard. But there’s no such reasoning when it comes to aphids. Fortunately, these common pests can be somewhat easily sent away. (Something, unfortunately, you can’t always say for Jimmy.)
| Add Photo to Journal |  | | Photo Credit: ©2003 Buglady Consulting | | This is a profile of an adult winged aphid (most aphids are not winged). The red arrow points to the cornicles. The blue arrow points to the pest’s strawlike mouth, used to suck up plant fluids and inject saliva. |
Aphids are round, soft-bodied insects about 1 to 3 mm long and are normally found in large groups, feeding on plants. They vary in color, from black, brown, green and yellow to red and even pink. Some are covered with a waxy fluff. They are usually wingless, although some are born with wings. (These migrating aphid species, called alates, take off to start new colonies on other plants.) And because aphids tend to give birth to live young, they don’t need to mate, allowing for many generations per year. Combine this with the fact that there are more than 400 species of this garden nuisance out there … well, that’s a lot of aphids.
The key to identifying this common plant invader is to look for tubelike structures, called cornicles, on their backsides. (Cornicles are used to secrete a defensive fluid.) Aphids are also typically found feeding on new, tender plant growth. The adults feed on plant sap using their threadlike mouthparts, which they stick into plant tissue then inject their saliva.
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| Facts |
- Aphids do not have to mate to have young.
- Aphids can transmit or vector plant viruses.
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| Tips |
- A strong jet of water can knock aphids off plants.
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| Definitions |
- Alates: Winged aphids that migrate to new plants in order to start new colonies.
- Cornicles: Tubelike structures that protrude out the backs of aphids. (Helps in identifying the pest.)
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Articles
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How to Use Sticky Cards
Sticky cards help trap insects for identification or to trap out some of the adult population infesting your plants. Here’s how to use this valuable tool.
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