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Both of these factors can reduce plant defenses and make them more nutritious for pests. This can easily be mistaken for whiteflies or other pests, so use a 10x hand lens to confirm identification.Ĭultural control: Aphids and many other pests thrive on plants that are under stress or that have received nitrogen fertilizer. When they molt, they leave behind their old skins on the surface of the plant, which look like white flakes. Newly born aphids will feed and molt four times before becoming an adult. When scouting, look closely to make sure that what you are looking at are live aphids. Monitor plants in spring and early summer to determine if intervention is needed. To alleviate colony overcrowding, some aphids will develop wings, helping them to fly to new food sources and, unfortunately, also potentially develop new colonies.ĭetection: Look for shiny patches of honeydew on leaves then inspect the leaves above for aphids.
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Sometimes aphids have wings, which can throw off a positive identification. To distinguish the aphid from another pest like a scale, look for cornicles-two “tail pipes” that extend from the end of its body. They can be smooth or some of the more ornate, “woolly” aphids may have white fluff similar to mealybugs. Colors vary by species, but the more common colors are green, red, yellow or black. Identification: Aphids are small (1-10 mm) and pear shaped. Source: North Carolina State University Extension facts about aphids Many aphid infestations disappear in a matter of weeks as natural enemies colonize the plant. The decision comes down to the amount of insects and damage you can tolerate and for how long. If aphids become abundant enough to cause distorted growth or damage flower buds, intervention may be warranted. In most cases aphids will occur at low densities. Removing every aphid is not possible or advisable. They can be easy to control, but before you treat, make sure Mother Nature has not already taken care of the problem for you.Īphids frequently can be found on roses, milkweed, crape myrtle, perennials, and herbs but most plant species will host at least one aphid species. of Plant Pathology (bottom) Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Īphids are a very common problem.