Apple Aphid

Aphis pomi

Classification

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Aphis pomi: //ˈeɪfɪs ˈpoʊmaɪ//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Life-story of insects 06fig Aphis pomi by wikipedia. Used under a Public domain license.
Insects - Their Ways and Means of Living - Plate 2 by https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Insects_-_Their_Ways_and_Means_of_Living.djvu/187. Used under a Public domain license.
Snodgrass Aphis pomi D cropped white background by R. E. Snodgrass. [2]. Used under a CC0 license.
Grüne Apfelblattlaus (von hinten) by Rhetos. Used under a CC0 license.
Brockhaus-Efron Aphis mali by Брокгауз и Ефрон. Used under a Public domain license.
Aphis pomi colony on crab apple in East Sussex by InfluentialPoints. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Summary

Aphis pomi, known as the apple aphid or green apple aphid, is a true bug prevalent on young growth of apple trees and other Rosaceae. It reproduces mainly by parthenogenesis and is attended by ants that protect it from predators.

Physical Characteristics

Wingless females are pear-shaped, bright green or yellowish-green, undusted with wax particles, and reach up to 2.2 mm (0.09 in) in length. They have black cauda and cornicles, pale antennae and legs with brown tips. Winged females have a black thorax and a green abdomen, often adorned with three pairs of blackish spots and semicircular spots.

Identification Tips

Look for dense colonies on young growth of apple trees and other Rosaceae, particularly under the leaves where they cause slight leaf curl.

Habitat

Infests young growth of apple trees and other plants in the Rosaceae family.

Distribution

Widespread in Europe, western Asia (to India and Pakistan), North Africa, and North America. Introduced to North America in the 1840s.

Diet

Sucks sap from host plants in the Rosaceae family.

Life Cycle

Completes its life cycle on a single host species. Overwintering eggs hatch in spring, and most aphids are viviparous females that reproduce parthenogenetically. Winged females are produced in June for migration and dispersal.

Reproduction

Mainly occurs via parthenogenesis, where unmated females give birth to live young. Sexual forms appear in autumn, leading to egg-laying.

Predators

Larvae of the midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza and various parasitoids.

Ecosystem Role

Acts as a pest on apple trees and other Rosaceae, contributing to an ecological relationship with ants that tend to them in exchange for honeydew.

Economic Impact

High levels of infestation may lead to stunted shoots, disfigured fruit, and premature leaf fall, particularly detrimental to young trees.

Collecting Methods

  • Visual inspection of hosts for colonies
  • Using sticky traps to capture and monitor populations

Preservation Methods

  • Ethanol preservation
  • Drying specimens
  • Pinning for morphological studies

Misconceptions

Often confused with similar aphid species such as Aphis spiraecola, which have different host preferences and reproductive rates.

Tags

  • Aphid
  • Apple pests
  • Hemiptera
  • Insecta
  • Pest management