Beech-pest
Guides
Grylloprociphilus imbricator
Beech Blight Aphid, Woolly Beech Aphid, Boogie-Woogie Aphid
Grylloprociphilus imbricator, commonly known as the beech blight aphid or boogie-woogie aphid, is a small sap-feeding insect in the family Aphididae. It forms dense colonies on American beech trees (Fagus grandifolia), covering branches with thick blankets of fluffy white wax produced from specialized abdominal glands. The species exhibits a complex life cycle involving both beech and cypress hosts, with parthenogenetic reproduction on beech and root-feeding stages on cypress. When disturbed, colonies perform a distinctive synchronized swaying behavior that gives rise to their common name.
Phyllaphis
woolly beech aphids
Phyllaphis is a genus of woolly aphids in the family Aphididae, established by Koch in 1856. The genus comprises at least four described species, with Phyllaphis fagi and P. grandifoliae commonly known as woolly beech aphids. Species in this genus are associated with beech trees (Fagus spp.) and exhibit complex life cycles with multiple generations per growing season. The genus has been subject to taxonomic revision, with some species historically placed in related genera such as Tamalia.