Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
COMMON APHIDS
In North America, the most common and serious aphid pests include:
▪ Apple grain aphid
▪ Black cherry aphid
▪ Green apple aphid
▪ Green peach aphid
▪ Hop aphid
▪ Leaf curl plum aphid
▪ Mealy plum aphid
▪ Rosy apple aphid
▪ Rusty plum aphid
▪ Spirea aphid
▪ Thistle aphid
▪ Wooly apple aphid
Aphids
Aphids are among the most common horticultural pests and affect an
enormous range of plants, including orchard crops. Of the more than 4,000
known aphid species, about 250 attack agricultural crops and at least 12
can cause moderate to serious damage to pome and stone fruits in North
America. All are soft-bodied insects that feed by sucking the phloem con-
tents out of leaves, young shoots, developing fruits, and other tender tissues.
Some aphids also feed on plant roots. Feeding causes leaves, young fruit, and
sometimes shoots to become deformed. Leaves curl up around the aphids,
making them hard to reach with pesticides.
