PEST PROFILES: APHIDS

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Crape Myrtle Aphid Oleander Aphid Peach Aphid Sooty Mold Infestation Click on image to view larger.

Aphids Description: Aphids are a diverse group of insects that are small, from 1/16 to 1/8 inch long. They are soft-bodied and vary in shape and color. Adult aphids may be winged or wingless. On the back of the fifth abdominal segment, a pair of tube-like structures called cornicles can been seen on most species. Damage: Plants become stressed due to the direct removal of sap from phloem tissues by aphid feeding. Infested plants become covered with honeydew secreted by the aphids. Sooty mold grows on the honeydew and can cover leaves, discoloring the foliage and further stressing the plant by reducing photosynthesis. Aphids may also vector certain plant viruses. Life cycle: Most aphids reproduce sexually and develop through gradual metamorphosis but also through parthenogenesis during which the production of offspring occurs without mating. These aphids may bear live young. The average life span of an adult is approximately 1 month with sexual maturity reached in 4 to 10 days. Under good conditions, the reproductive cycle is approximately 3 weeks. Aphids reproduce faster than most other insects and can be prolific.